Running Out Of Time
by Darkshines1984
Summary: My take on how the end of season 3/beginning 4 could go. Emma must follow Zelena to the Enchanted Forest of the past to preserve her and her family's future but can she save an ailing Regina in the process? Adventure story. Full character ensemble piece. WARNING there is a lot of Emma and Hook interaction but this is NOT a Captain Swan story. It is SWAN QUEEN all the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Running Out Of Time**

**Topic:** Once Upon a Time

**Pairing:** Swan Queen (Emma and Regina) but it's a full ensemble of characters.

**Rating:** T (for the odd bit of bad language)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of the places or characters in it. This is all just for fun blah blah blah…

**Summary:** My take on how the end of season 3/beginning of season 4 could go. Emma must follow Zelena to the Enchanted Forest of the past to preserve her and her family's future but can she save an ailing Regina in the process? Adventure/Drama story.

**WARNING!** _**It starts with a bit of OQ and there is a lot of Hook and Emma interaction and very little Regina and Emma interaction because of the nature of the plot. It is however a Swan Queen story through and through so if you are a Captain Swan fan then I would keep away as I don't want any annoying hate reviews just because you don't like the 'ship. Consider yourselves warned.**_

**Chapter 1**

**Regina's POV**

The night lights outside of Granny's twinkled and lit up the area outside the diner surprisingly well. The whole town seemed to be inside the diner celebrating the rather impromptu marriage of Arial and Eric. Regina couldn't understand why anyone would chose to get married when there was a wicked witch roaming around trying to ruin everyone's lives. Well, Zelena was trying to ruin her life anyway but was certainly making everyone else miserable in the process. Despite her own doubts about having a major celebration at such a time Regina had been inside trying to enjoy the party too until Robin had asked her to come outside.

At first his cute little son Roland had been with them but one of Robin's Merry Men or whatever ridiculous name they called themselves had taken Roland back to the forest with them leaving Regina and Robin alone. It left the two of them stood in awkward silence.

The former outlaw was silently gazing at her and she had no idea what to say or do. Relationships were not her strong point, nor where emotions and she had no idea of how to talk or act around this man who was supposed to be her soul mate. When they had interacted in the past he had been the one to initiate the conversation. Tonight there was a strange tension she'd not felt in his presence before.

Just as she was about to try and speak to him the door of the diner opened and Hook came storming past, his leather jacket flying behind him and slapping Regina's legs as he pushed between the two of them like they were not even stood there. Something had pissed the Pirate off but he was gone as fast as he came leaving Regina still stood awkwardly with the man with the lion tattoo.

"Is everything alright?" she finally asked; weary of the long silence that had fallen between them.

He smiled weakly in response before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. The action surprised her but she stayed still, leaning into the kiss slightly. It was nice. Not earth shattering but it felt pleasant to feel somebody against her. After a few seconds he pulled away and looked at her again, his expression unreadable.

"You are not who I thought you'd be" he said darkly. His expression went from unreadable to a swirl of emotion that Regina couldn't hope to understand. She just knew that something really didn't feel right.

"I'm sorry" he continued, "I truly am sorry but I had to do this."

Regina eyed him with suspicion as he spoke. There was guilt written all over his features but also a steely determination to see whatever he was doing through. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach as all the pieces began to fit into place.

"Do what?" she asked him even though she was sure she already knew the answer.

"I gave your heart to Zelena" he answered honestly, looking away from her as he spoke. "She is going to bring back my wife. My son needs his mother."

Regina scoffed at his words. She wanted to shout at him and scythe him down with sharp words about how she had a son too. She wanted to tell him that no one could bring his wife back from the dead; magic just didn't work that way. If anyone knew that it was her. She had spent years trying to find a way to reunite herself with Daniel. There was little point telling him these things or arguing with him when the handover had already been made.

"Was that the plan all along? Is that why you followed me everywhere?"

Regina wished she didn't care that he had led her on. She wished she didn't care about him. She had been starved of romantic love for so long though that she had instantly fallen for the idea of him. He had given her the attention she had craved ever since that fateful night her mother had ripped Daniel's heart out of his chest and crushed it.

"Yes" he admitted, guilt lacing his voice for the first time during the conversation. "I delayed giving it to her because you really are so much more than the Evil Queen you were painted out to be. But in the end...I like you Regina...but I love my wife."

It was tempting to curse him into next week but she saw the truth in his eyes and in his words. It was hard for her of all people to criticize someone for acting selfishly and she didn't feel like she had much fight in her. If Zelena had her heart it was over. When the witch cast whatever curse or spell she was planning Regina would more than likely be dead.

Robin shifted uncomfortably before her and reached into his pocket. When he brought it out of the pocket he was holding a glass vial that he held out towards her. She gazed down on it and recognised its contents immediately. It contained one of her hairpins from the Enchanted Forest, broken and with a drop of liquid hanging at its tip. It felt familiar like she should remember something about it. What she did know was that the liquid was sleeping potion. She'd recognise it's hue anywhere.

"How do you...?" she began to ask but Robin cut her off.

"Zelena took it from you whilst we were at your castle in the Enchanted Forest" he explained. She cringed at his words because it meant that he still had his memories. He really had fooled her.

"I'm a pick pocket remember?" he continued and he placed the vial into her hand. "I thought it may spare you whatever pain she may have planned for you."

Regina closed her hand around the vial and stepped back and away from him until her back hit the dinners white picket fence. Was this the kind of 'care' she deserved? The man she believed to be her soul mate had turned out to be the enemy. He had turned out to be a fraud and had betrayed her. Yet apparently he cared enough about her to not only tell her what he had done but feel guilty enough to give her an easy way out. Perhaps that was deception too, more lies to push her down onto her knees and submit to her fate.

Robin, who had been avoiding her gaze, looked at her one last time before walking away. She watched him go; waiting till he was finally out of sight before letting her walls crumble. She slid down the fence and sat on the floor still grasping the vial. She had spent her whole life feeling alone but never more so in this moment when whatever hopes she had of that solitude ending had been so cruelly dashed. How could she have been so stupid as to just follow the fairy dust blindly? She had let her hopes rule her head and put her faith in a man she did not know all on the evidence of a tattoo. Her mother would have enjoyed this moment had she still been alive. In this moment love, or Regina's own starvation for it, really had been weakness.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Emma's POV**

"Hook why an earth would you think that I would want to marry you?!" Emma growled, desperately trying to keep her voice down so no one else at the party could hear her. When the Pirate had pulled her into the quietest corner of Granny's to 'talk' she had expected him to proposition her yet again but she really didn't expect him to produce a ring from his coat pocket.

"Swan I know you are still mourning the loss of Baelfire but you and I could be happy" he tried to reason with her, holding the diamond ring between them like he still thought she may take it. The blond looked around the room desperately hoping nobody else was paying too much attention to them.

"For god's sake this isn't just about Neal it's about me" she tried to explain to the infuriatingly eager looking man. "I've been ignoring your advances because we are not meant to be together."

His face fell but he still stood his ground holding out the ring. Emma felt sorry for him because he really was trying to be a good man for her. She genuinely didn't want to hurt him but this had now gone on too far. It had been fun when he was just giving her a lot of attention but she could not and would not marry him or even date him. It was her fault for allowing his infatuation to continue because it flattered her. Now she had to fix it.

"Hook you are a nice guy...when you want to be...and I admit I think you are good looking but I don't want to be with you in that way. No matter how much you try to prove you are father material or whatever else it is you are trying to prove I just can't picture us together."

Finally he dropped his hand away and placed the ring back in his pocket. He went to turn away but then stopped himself, his face now full of anger.

"So all I am good for is helping to fight your battles and babysitting?" he snapped at her.

Guilt hit her hard again because he was right; she had used him and treated him appallingly. He had a good heart despite his dubious record and she was fond of him and even a little attracted to him. She was also grateful for helping them rescue Henry from Pan. Hook was aware of all those things so it was hard to explain to him why they could never be anything more.

"No" she tried to protest, "I want to be your friend."

He snorted with a mixture of laughter and frustration. It probably was the last thing he wanted to hear from her right now but she hoped that after the disappointment had settled he would accept her as a friend too. For now though he was too angry to reason with and he turned away and started to storm out of the diner.

"Hook" she called after him, ignoring the looks she got from her parents and other guests.

She followed him to the door but once she reached the doorway she decided to let him be. He had stormed off into the night and it would do him some good to cool down. She was about to head back into the diner when she saw two figures stood on the pavement just outside the diner. One was the distinctive figure of Regina. Even with her back to the diner Emma could recognise Regina anywhere. The other person was taller, a man, but Emma couldn't quite make out who it was because he was stood in the shadow of the archway. Just as Emma was getting really curious the man stepped into the light and kissed Regina. It was Robin Hood. She should have guessed really as the outlaw had been keen on the brunette for days.

Emma knew she should probably go back into the diner and leave them to it but instead she found herself frozen on the spot. It was surprising to see Regina lower her walls enough to allow someone to kiss her and it made Emma feel odd and uncomfortable. If it had been anyone else then she'd have described the feeling as jealousy but she would not feel that way about Regina. It just wasn't sensible to have any sort of romantic feelings for Henry's other mother.

The kiss was brief and led to a hushed and awkward looking conversation that Emma had no chance of hearing. The blond didn't need to hear what was going on to know that something was wrong. Regina's body language was all wrong. The brunette's shoulders were low and her normally rigid and perfect posture was slumped. Robin handed her some sort of bottle which piqued Emma's attention even more. She was itching to go over to the pair but she resisted.

After a few more seconds Robin walked away and Regina slid down the fence and out of sight. Emma's heart suddenly pounded in her chest, unsure of what was going on and very suspicious she dashed out of the diner and to the pavement. Regina was sat on the floor grasping the small bottle, eyes closed but with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Regina" Emma called out her name softly as she approached. She stood over the brunette and Regina looked up at her, tears streaming down her face.

"Em...Emma?" the brunette chocked out.

The only time Emma had ever seen Regina cry was when they thought they had lost Henry after the sleeping curse. If the brunette was crying then something terrible was happening because as little love as Regina had experienced Emma was sure she wouldn't just cry over a man.

"What the hell happened?" Emma asked as she slid down the fence and sat next to the brunette. Regina wiped at her tears with the sleeves of her jacket which was both undignified for such an elegant woman but also ineffectual as her jacket was made of leather.

"Robin gave my heart to Zelena" Regina explained. "She has everything she needs to complete whatever evil deed she is planning on."

"How did Robin get your heart?" Emma asked instantly. It wasn't till she saw the pitiful look on the brunette's face that she guessed the answer. "Is that were you hid your heart?! With a stranger?!"

Regina gave up trying to wipe the tears away and instead buried her face into her gloved hands, muffling a strangled sob. Emma raised her own hands to cover her mouth as she struggled to know what to do or say to calm the older woman. Regina's tears were breaking her heart.

"He was meant to be my true love" Regina choked out. There was little conviction in the brunette's voice and it sounded very much to Emma like she found her own words ridiculous.

"What?" Emma asked. Regina and Robin had only known each other for a few days and Emma had seen no signs of Regina being passionately in love. Yes the brunette had seemed flattered and perhaps a bit infatuated by the rugged outlaw but not in love.

"Remember Tink said I was the reason why she lost her wings?" Regina began to tell the tale. "Well not long after I had married the king...your grandfather...she stole fairy dust to find my true love because I was so unhappy. It led us to a tavern and to a man with a lion tattoo on his wrist. I was too scared to go in though and she was punished."

Three things struck Emma from Regina's story. Firstly, she had presumed that Regina had done far worse to Tinkerbelle and had said as much whilst in Neverland. Secondly, she had seen Robin Hood's wrist and she knew he had a very garish lion tattoo. Thirdly, had Regina actually just taken Robin and his tattoo on face value all because of some fairy dust? For starters there could be several men with a lion tattoo on their wrist so he may not have been the man the dust led her too and Regina didn't seem that trusting or fairy magic or anything or anyone.

"You thought Robin was that man because he has the tattoo" Emma stated; deciding it was better to avoid criticizing Regina when she had already been kicked to the ground. She needed to support the brunette; they were now allies, sort of friends and sort of co-parents even f Henry didn't remember yet.

"I thought I was getting a second chance at happiness. I should have known better. I'm a villain right? Villains don't get happy endings."

Emma had heard that phrase before from both Gold and Regina. The more she heard it the less she believed it especially now she was getting to know and understand the brunette better. Regina deserved a happy ending just as much as the next person and Emma no longer saw her as a villain. She was a woman who had made terrible mistakes and made terrible choices, some due to the manipulation of others and some borne out of hate. The brunette was walking a path of redemption and in that process had been the hero time and again.

"You are not a villain" Emma stated firmly.

Regina turned towards her and the tears that had began to dry up started to flow again. Emma watched as the suffering brunette tried to dab them with her leather sleeves again before taking pity on her. She pulled up the sleeves of her own leather jacket so that the sleeves of her turtle neck jumper were exposed and shuffled in front of the brunette. Emma gently pressed both her sleeved wrists against Regina's cheeks and the brunette grasped them and guided them against the damp skin without question.

Once the tears had been sufficiently mopped away Regina released Emma's wrists but rather than pushing the blonde's arms away she began to roll her jacket sleeves back down. Once that task was completed Regina released Emma's arms and the blond relaxed against the fence again.

She was shoulder to shoulder with the brunette and as they sat there she felt Regina shift and lean her head against the blonde's shoulder. This need for physical comfort was out of Regina's comfort zone and out of Emma's but the blond risked reaching her arm around Regina's shoulders. The older woman didn't flinch and just relaxed even further against Emma's side. Emma began to draw circles against Regina's leather clad shoulder and the brunette's exhaled as some of the tension released from her body. They sat like that for a couple of silent minutes but once the brunette had settled Emma knew they had to get up.

"We can't just sit here Regina and we can't just give up" Emma sighed. "We need to tell the others and we need to act quickly to try and stop Zelena."


	2. Chapter 2

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 2**

**Storybrooke - Snow POV**

Her mother had always told her as a child that life was all about learning and tonight Snow was learning that heavily pregnant women and their husbands found it difficult to slow dance. Charming was having to lean over the baby bump to try and hold her close but the position he was in looked painful. He was persisting though like he did through any problem. It's why she loved him so much. They were surrounded by other dancers, some couples and some just friends enjoying an evening were the Wicked Witch wasn't the main focus. Arial and Eric hadn't stopped dancing since their first slow dance together over an hour before and Snow was delighted for them.

"I think Emma needs us" her husband suddenly spoke up, straightening up and gesturing with his head towards the door of the diner.

She followed his eye line to see Emma and Regina lingering just inside the door. The two were actually holding hands but Regina looked so dazed Snow wasn't entirely sure the brunette was aware of it.

"That doesn't look promising" snow remarked, her voice giving away her weariness. She was probably having one of the most stressful pregnancies ever known to mankind. She and Charming made their way towards their daughter as did Belle and Tink who had also noticed Emma and Regina's presence. As they reached the two women Emma and Regina led them all out into the courtyard outside Granny's were it was quieter.

"What's going on?" Charming asked as soon as the noise died down.

"Zelena has Regina's heart" their daughter replied.

Snow felt like her heart had just dropped in her chest. She could tell something was wrong but she wasn't expecting anything so terrible and Emma had done little to soften the blow in her delivery of the news.

"Oh god what happened?" she choked out, reaching out for Regina's free hand and squeezing it. Her former nemesis looked from Snow's hand in her own to Emma's hand in her own and looked utterly baffled. Regina wriggled her hands free and stuffed them into her pockets. Apparently even dazed to hell the brunette wasn't going to stand for that much of a family love in.

"It's a long story but Robin gave it to her" Emma brushed over her explanation, "apparently he's more foe than friend."

Snow was surprised by the news and she knew it would upset and annoy her husband who had spoke to the Outlaw and trusted him. Belle had thought him a good man too and Tink seemed equally as shocked by the revelation. For a few seconds they all remained silent until her husband spoke up.

"This means that Zelena has what she wants" Charming pointed out the obvious.

"Yes but we still don't know what exactly she plans to do with it" Snow thought out loud. They were presuming she needed Regina's heart and Charming's courage for a curse or spell but as of yet they had no idea what kind of magic it could be used for.

"I still haven't found anything in any of Rumpel's books but I have barely scratched the surface" Belle admitted. Ever since the Wicked Witch had tried and failed to claim Regina's heart during their street fight the week before Belle had spent most of her time in Rumpel's shop trying to find answers.

"I say we don't wait around to find out" Emma spoke up. There was a steely determination in her daughter's voice which would normally please Snow but considering the capabilities of their nemesis it was now a little frightening. Not only was Zelena very powerful but she also had control over the dark one and with Regina's heart in her possession she could now control the Evil Queen should the mood take her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Storybrooke - Regina POV**

"_I say we don't wait around to find out."_

Regina had been stood quietly listening to the other's discuss the situation in a kind of haze until Emma's words caught her attention and snapped her out of it.

"What are you suggesting we do?" she asked the determined looking saviour. She had grown much fonder of the blond during their time in Neverland and since she had returned to Storybrooke after the second curse but it didn't change the fact that Emma was hot headed and occasionally a bit dim. Her new found fondness just meant that it annoyed her less and concerned her more.

"I think you and I need to call in on your sister" Emma replied. The blonde's tone made it sound like it was the most obvious and simple task in the world. Either Emma was turning into an eternal optimist like her blasted parents or she was suffering from memory loss.

"Did you pay any attention to my last attempt at fighting her?" Regina snapped at the blond, "I got flung through the clock tower."

The blond was suddenly right in front of Regina and grasping her biceps forcing her to look into the saviour's eyes.

"That was you" Emma was now speaking to her and only her like everyone else had faded away from them. "I'm talking about OUR magic."

The blonde's words reminded Regina of a similar conversation from their time in Neverland when her own sense was being overthrown by her need to rescue their son as quickly as possible. Now the roles were reversed and it was Emma who wasn't thinking clearly.

"Emma you need to stop and think" she tried to instruct the blond but Emma immediately cut in.

"You might not have time for us to stop and think" the blond snapped; her grip on Regina's arm becoming almost painful even through the padding of her black leather jacket.

The words rang around Regina's head and touched her despite the empty cavity in her chest. Emma was concerned about acting fast purely to save her and that touched Regina deeply even without her heart. She was grateful for Emma's care and consideration but she had spent years making selfish rash decisions and was now trying to put it right. If anyone was to go face Zelena it would be her and her alone. Henry could not lose both his mother's, especially as Emma was currently the only mother he remembered.

Decision made Regina pulled back from the blonde's grasp and moved a step away from the other four onlookers. She was about to transport herself to the Witch's farm when she felt a sudden tightening in her chest. The tightening turned into pain and she stumbled backwards and into one of the tables in the courtyard area. She had felt this kind of pain before as a teenager when her mother had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart as punishment for some imaginary misdemeanour.

"Regina what's going on?" Snow's panicked voice cut through the pain.

She was vaguely aware of Emma reaching for her but she stumbled around the table and used it as a blockade between them. After a couple more seconds of agony the tension and pain released and Regina straightened herself. Emma, Snow, Charming, Belle and Tinkerbelle stared at her in a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Regina are you okay?" Emma asked. The saviour began to move again but she raised her hand and gestured for her to stop. For once the blond obeyed.

She could feel magic swelling inside of her, constricting her and rushing through every nerve and every blood vessel. It was something she had never personally experienced but she was familiar with the magic having performed it herself more times than she liked to recount. Zelena was trying to take control of her.

"No" she gasped, desperately trying to fight the feeling even though she knew it would be in vein. She could not be used to hurt the people she sort of cared about; she had to find a way to prevent it. It was then she remembered the vial Robin had given her. Reaching into her jacket pocked she removed the vial and popped the cork out of it. All the while she felt like she battling against her own mind and body.

"Regina what is that? What are you doing?" Emma gasped out. The blond rounded the table towards her and this time Regina didn't bother to stop her.

"Sleeping curse" Regina explained as she tipped the glass vial and grasped the un-cursed end of the hairpin. "I won't be used against you."

"Regina please..." Emma's voice is breathless and it reminds the brunette of the moment in the mines over a year ago. They seemed destined to keep on having to say goodbye.

Another surge of magic courses through her and she can feel her control slipping. The brunette allows the glass vial to drop and shatter between herself and the saviour and as she looks into Emma's eyes she sees a look of understanding. Regina knows that when magic surges inside her then her eyes spark purple and that is what the blond is now witnessing.

"Emma I'm sorry" she pleads; apologising for leaving the blond alone to face Zelena, for making such an error in judgement...for the hurt in Emma's eyes.

The blonde's arms are around her suddenly, holding her tight. Regina understands the meaning behind the embrace. She is not alone. Reaching both arms around the blonde's back she pricks her forefinger with the cursed end of the hairpin. Instantly she feels the world swim around her and begin to fade but she feels safe and warm in the blonde's embrace. The last words she hears before her world goes totally black are Emma's.

"I will save you."

Warm lips press against her temple and then nothing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Storybrooke - Emma's POV**

It had all happened so quickly that she hadn't really had time to process what was going on. In the end all she could do was hold on to former Evil Queen and offer her some sort of comfort as the sleeping curse took effect. Now she was sat on the floor with the unconscious woman in her arms and she was awash with too much emotion to control or comprehend. Despite everything that had happened between them when she first arrived in Storybrooke they had become friends and allies. They had become co-parents and family. She had already lost Neal, her first love, and the swirl of emotion made Emma feel like her heart was breaking all over again.

"Emma" Snow called out to her as she clung onto Regina's limp form. When she didn't respond her mother called her name again but this time louder than before. "EMMA!"

"I'm going to kill her" Emma growled, flicking her wrist in frustration towards the nearest chair and setting it magically alight. The four people stood watching her jumped in shock. She knew it wasn't what her parents wanted to hear or see from her but she didn't care. She was angry and she was damn well going to sink the Wicked Witch. She was about to try and get to her feet when she heard a familiar but shaky voice from behind her.

"Mom...what's going on?"

She swivelled around, still holding Regina, and looked in the direction of the voice. Her son was stood in the shadowed corner of the courtyard nearer the door. Emma had no idea how long he had been out there or what he had heard or seen.

"Oh god Henry" she gasped, "what are you doing out here?"

"I wanted to find out what you were hiding from me so I snuck out after you" Henry admitted as he stepped into the light and closer to the group. His voice was full of fear and panic. "The Mayor said that needle was a sleeping curse and now she looks dead...and you just set a chair on fire...I don't understand."

Emma glanced from the burning wooden chair to Henry and sighed in defeat. She had tried to shield him from all of Storybrooke crap whilst he had no memories of his previous life here but there was no logical way to explain all he had just seen and heard. How the hell was she going to tell him without looking totally insane?

"Henry I have to go deal with someone and then I will tell you everything" she tried to reason with her panicking son.

"No I want to know now" He raised his voice to her and shook his head vehemently. Emma knew that look; he wasn't going to back down. She had no idea how do deal with the situation that had arisen and every second she stayed outside Granny's was another second Zelena could be enacting her evil plans.

"Emma we will go after her but you need to take a deep breath and calm down" Charming said as knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her mother went and stood by Henry, reaching out for him in the same way.

"No I really don't" Emma sniped, shrugging her shoulder away from his grasp. Within a second he had placed his hand back on her shoulder again and laid his other on Regina's still arm.

"Take your mother, Henry and Regina back to the apartment where they will be safe and explain this all to your son" her father instructed gently. "Tink, Belle and I will go round up as much help as possible and we'll meet you at the farm in forty minutes."

She could see the Ernst look Charming's eyes. He thought this was the most sensible plan and he would try to enforce it upon her if he had too. For now he was trying to reason with her. Although Emma didn't want to wait and she doubted anyone could help her defeat Zelena other than the unconscious woman still in her arms she nodded her accent to his plan. Thirty minutes wasn't long but in that time she could at least get Henry and her mother to safety and say goodbye in case it went badly.

Emma scooped the unconscious Mayor further into her arms and stood up, struggling to get her balance and lift the woman all in one go. It took a lot of effort but she succeeded. Charming stepped towards her but she shook her head, determined to carry the brunette to the bug herself.

"Do you want me to find someone to help..." her father offered; but she shook of his attempts at helping her again.

"I've got her" she replied firmly.

The blond started to walk slowly towards her bug which was parked across the street with Snow and Henry on her heels.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 3**

**Storybrooke - Charming POV**

The pickup truck roared to a halt and David leapt out, not even bothering to stop it in his rush to round up useful allies. He had sent Tink back into the party to round up the dwarves, Ruby, Granny and anyone else willing to help. Belle had gone straight to the shop to collect any potions, spells or magical objects that could help them in their fight against Zelena.

His task would be a little more awkward as he had not failed to notice the awkward exchange between Emma and Hook in the diner. The Pirate had become an ally and even a friend after their time in Neverland but as much as he tried David could never picture Hook and his daughter having a long term future. So Emma's earlier rebuttal was no surprise to her father but he pitied the Pirate because he obviously did love her.

David virtually jogged down the pier until he found the fishing boat the Pirate had taken residence upon since returning to Storybrooke.

"Hook!" he yelled at the top of his voice.

There was a few scuffling and banging sounds before a long leather coat and its owner swept onto the deck with hip flask in hand. David groaned at the man's tipsy appearance. He should have guessed the Pirate would turn to his friend rum after having his heart broken.

"Charming!" the Pirate greeted, waving his hook dramatically, "to what do I the pleasure?"

"How drunk are you?" David cut straight to the point causing Hook to quirk his eyebrows in amusement.

"On what scale are we measuring it mate?" the Pirate asked as he made his way over to the edge of the vessel and stared down at David.

"Can you fight?" the Prince asked. This time his question drew a light laugh from the Captain like he had asked a ridiculous question.

"I can always fight" Hook replied smoothly, "just point me in the direction you want me to do battle in."

Apparently the Pirate may feel down but he wasn't about to lose his swagger. David couldn't wait to put his confidence to the test.

"Zelena's direction" the Prince said casually. His words drew a flicker of a reaction from Hook but the mask of indifference was quickly placed back up again.

"I thought tonight was party night" Hook enquired in his usual light hearted manner. "To what do we owe this midnight raid?"

"Zelena has gotten hold of Regina's heart and Emma wants it back before the Witch has a chance to use it" David explained. He still had no idea how Robin had found or gotten hold of Regina's heart but right now it wasn't the most important issue.

"Ah so I'm to fight at your fair daughter's side" Hook replied, sarcasm and hurt creeping into his voice.

"Is that a problem?" David asked the Pirate. He had expected the conversation to be awkward but he felt like he knew Hook well enough and that the man would still fight alongside them.

"No problem mate" Hook clarified. "I am well aware that is all the use she has for me but me and the Witch...well I have an axe to grind with her anyway after she rather rudely cursed these fine lips of mine."

David felt another pang of guilt for his friend as the Pirate climbed down of the fishing boat and onto the pier so he was standing next to David. Hook's expression was now very serious as he addressed the Prince again.

"I should point out though that our reformed Evil Queen can no longer be relied upon..." he stated.

"Regina put herself under a sleeping curse" David cut in. Regina had been the bane of his wife's existence in the Enchanted Forest her days as the Evil Queen were now in the past. She had put up a protection spell at their home and finally become part of the family. It was hurting them all that she was now in grave danger and possibly trapped in the sleeping curse forever even if they did rescue her heart.

"Clever girl" Hook remarked. "Isn't redemption is an interesting thing...I mean look were all this selflessness gets us."

David watched the pirate notion towards his bottle of rum before cackling slightly manically and stuffing the bottle back in his coat pocket. Hook drew his sword and skilfully spun it around his hand a couple of times.

"As for my state of inebriation" he quipped, "I'm more sober now than I ever was in my buccaneering days."

"Then let's hurry" David replied, "because we have fifteen minutes to get to the farm and meet up with Emma."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Storybrooke - Emma's POV**

Henry had remained silent for the short drive home and even managed to wait patiently whilst Emma struggled up the stairs with Regina and placed the brunette on her parent's bed. Emma had removed the woman's scalf, gloves, jacket and shoes and covered her with the floral throw from Snow's bed. The second she walked back over to the kitchen counter where Henry stood her son started asking questions.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, glancing around the staircase at the still form of the women he only currently knew as the Mayor of Storybrooke.

"She's under a sleeping curse" Emma replied honestly, "it's basically a magic potion."

"Magic...I don't understand" Henry's voice wavered as he tried to make sense of her words. No twelve year old boy's believed in magic especially not ones who had memories of being brought up in bustling cities like Boston and New York.

The blond looked to Snow for some kind of help but her mother looked as lost for words as she did. It was then that she saw the Once Upon A Time book on the counter and remembered that Regina had given it to him at the diner one morning in the hope it might trigger his memories.

"This book Regina gave you, have you read any of it" she asked her son as she walked over to the side table and picked the book up.

"Yeah I'm about half way through..." he replied, his voice full of confusion at the strange turn in conversation.

"These stories...they are not fairytales Henry they are real" Emma got straight to the point. She opened the book on a random page and placed it down on the kitchen counter in front of him. The picture was that of the Summer Palace by the lake in the Enchanted Forest.

"What?" Henry mumbled; confusion and fear written all over his features. "Mom what are you talking about?"

Emma could tell that he thought she was going or already gone mad. For someone who was meant to have the heart of the truest believer this was proving difficult. Regina had really done a number on him when she gave him his new memories.

"The stories are real and because of a curse everyone was transported from their world to ours and they are in this town" Emma tried to explain as quickly and as simply as possible.

She turned the pages of the book until she found one with a close up picture of her parents on their wedding day.

"Mary Margaret is Snow White...my mother" Emma pointed to the picture as she spoke hoping her son would see the resemblance of the woman stood with them to the illustration. "David is Prince Charming...my father."

She flicked several pages further on until she found the one about her birth. There was an illustration of her father carrying her in one arm and defending her with a sword in the other.

"...and I'm this baby here" she continued her explanation. "I grew up without my parents Henry because they sent me through a magic wardrobe so I could break the curse."

"Mom this is crazy" he stuttered as he stepped away from the counter and the book.

"I know...that's what I told you when you came and found me on my 28th birthday but it is real Henry."

Emma couldn't hold back the awkward laughter as she spoke, knowing now how her son must have felt during that long period she doubted him for.

"What do you mean I found you?" Henry ignored her laughter and focused in on what would be the hardest part of all to explain. She heard Snow take a deep breath and the two women shared a knowing look. This was going to rock Henry's world in the worst possible way but Emma owed it to him, Regina and the departed Neal to be honest now.

"Your memories are false" she admitted, "you and I were given false memories when we had to leave here because of a new curse. Hook brought a potion to New York that allowed me to regain mine but there was only enough for one person."

Henry leant against the kitchen counter behind him and stared blankly at her as she spoke. Snow had edged closer to him so she was now stood a couple of feet away and was leaning on the same counter.

"You were bought up here" Emma continued, "I didn't keep you because I wanted to give you your best shot. That wasn't me Henry...I was seventeen and in prison. You were adopted by Regina and she brought you up until you found me when you were ten years old."

"You gave me up?" her son chocked out. The hurt and the pain in his eyes were matched by the disbelief as he struggled to take in and understand what she was saying to him. She could tell that he was starting to take on board the fact she was telling the truth because why the hell would anyone lie about a thing like that right?

"I'm so sorry Henry" she struggled through her next words, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I never wanted you to find out like this. If we couldn't reverse your memories I was going to take you back to New York."

Henry took a step forward and reached out for her hand. His eyes scanned hers for any hint that this was all somehow a joke and when he found none he nodded solemnly, accepting her words as the truth. He looked back down to the book again and placed his free hand on the illustration of her as a baby.

"Did I know my father?" he asked his brow furrowing. Emma could see the cogs turning in his mind as he put together the pieces and realised he way have just helped bury a person he actually knew and cared about once; someone he never got to say a proper goodbye to.

"For a short time yes" Emma admitted. She squeezed his hand to offer him some comfort and he nodded again with an expression that was hard to read.

"Who was he?" Henry asked, gazing down at the book again. Emma reached out and began to turn the pages, looking for Rumpelstiltskin's story. Eventually she found the chapter she was looking for and settled on a picture of Bae with the Blue Fairy.

"This was your father as a boy" she pointed to the picture; "his name in that world was Baelfire."

Henry released her hand and turned back to the beginning of the chapter. Obviously he intended to read about Neal and she was glad of that. Perhaps Snow could help him understand a bit more about their world and answer some of his questions whilst Emma was gone.

"I have to go kid" she sighed. He allowed her to pull him into a tight hug and she dropped a kiss onto the top of his head. She picked up her car keys of the counter and began to head towards the door.

"Wait" Henry suddenly called her back, "you said the Mayor brought me up so she is like my mom too?"

Emma turned to face him again. She could see Mar Margaret looking pensive over his shoulder. This was an awkward topic too considering the perilous position Regina was currently in. There was a real chance could lose another parent he had no current memories of.

"Yes...very much so" Emma informed him, "she had to give you up when the curse came to save the lives of everyone else. Magic has a price and that was the price she had to pay."

"Who is she?" Henry looked at the book again and began to flick through the pages as he spoke again.

"She's Regina" Emma responded awkwardly. The information in the book about Regina was outdated and one sided at best.

"No I mean who is she in this book" Henry pressed.

Emma paused and stared at him. In this moment she wanted to lie to him to protect him and to protect the cursed woman lying at the back of the room. The blond remembered how badly the ten year old had thought of his mother despite her love for him because of the words in that book. She also remembered his reaction when he found out she had lied about his father. Honesty was the only policy when it came to Henry.

"She was once the Evil Queen."

Henry's face fell as he turned the page of his book on cue to find a picture of Regina in full black Evil Queen garb looking menacing and well...evil. He looked up at Emma and then back at the unconscious woman lying only metres away from him.

"Once Henry...she was once the Evil Queen" Emma repeated the words hoping he understood their meaning. She was hoping that a twelve year old boy could understand that someone could in fact have a terrible history but also change and redeem themselves.

Emma felt warm tears running down her cheeks as all of the evenings events hit home so she turned away from her son so he didn't see her pain and left. She prayed that she could be the saviour everyone expected her to be, save the day and return home to him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 4**

**Storybrooke - Emma POV**

David had messaged Emma to tell her they were meeting on the main road by the turn off to the farm. The drive only took Emma ten minutes and she arrived just after Belle, Ruby, Tinkerbelle, Granny, Archie, Marco and the Dwarves but there was no sight of David's pickup truck. She had been surprised to see Archie and Marco there as they were not really fighters but both had always supported her and her parents.

"Hey where is David?" she asked as she climbed out of her yellow bug. On her passenger seat laid two sets of gloves; her black set and Regina's red. They had obviously fallen out of Regina's pocket during the drive to the apartment. Emma picked up the brunette's gloves instead of her own and put them on hoping that they would help remind her why she was there no matter how badly the fight may start to go.

"On his way with Hook" Ruby replied.

On cue there was a faint roar of an engine and the headlights of David's orange truck appeared from around the corner. Emma wasn't surprised her father had enlisted Killian as the Pirate was handy (pardon the pun) in a fight. It was ironic that after he had declared it his only use to her less than an hour before he was being called upon to fight at her side again. Ironic and a bit cruel.

The pickup truck pulled up alongside them and the two men climbed out. Both had their swords with them and David like Emma carried a gun.

"Swan" Hook greeted politely, dipping his head in a pitiful way as he spoke.

"Hey" she returned the greeting as the two came to a halt before the group of mismatches allies.

"Well this isn't much of an army" Hook quipped as he cast his eye over the people in front of him. His eyes finally stopped at Ruby who was armed with one of Granny's many crossbows. "Pity it's not a full moon or you'd have been rather useful love."

Emma rolled her eyes at him just as Ruby pulled an unimpressed face. It may not have been apparent as he climbed out the truck but now he was stood quite close to her she could tell he had been drinking. She could smell it on his breath as he spoke.

"I have dynamite" Marco cut into her thoughts, "thought I might be able to cause a rather large distraction."

"I brought some potions from the shop that may help" Belle added, removing a vial of orange glowing liquid from the satchel she was carrying. "If this explodes next to someone it will bind them. I don't think it will last long on someone so powerful but it should allow me to take Rumpel out of the equation for at least a few seconds."

It was a few seconds more than Emma expected to have where she only had to deal with the Wicked Witch so she was grateful for Belle's actions. The blond hoped they could achieve this without Rumpel getting hurt so Neal's sacrifice would not be in vein. It was not lost on Emma that she was about to fight a battle with her son's grandfather and her own half aunt. That had been a shocking revelation when it came; Emma had been convinced Snow would go into labour due to the shock at having a bright green half sister.

In her mind Emma assigned jobs to everyone present. They all looked to her as the saviour and their leader so she would lead.

"Okay so I have a vague plan" Emma informed the group. "Belle you focus on slowing Rumpel down. Ruby, Granny, Tink and the Dwarves you need to try and keep any flying monkeys at bay. I'm going to take on Zelena."

"And we...?" Charming cut in; gesturing with his sword between himself and the Pirate.

"You and Hook need to try and get Rumpel's dagger away from Zelena when I distract her" Emma explained. "Archie and Marco can help with that by blowing up the shed. An explosion may just draw her attention long enough for one of us to succeed."

She knew she was asking a lot of her father and Hook as they had no magic to protect themselves with and they would be helping her deal with a Witch. They had both willing thrown themselves into similar kinds of danger before and she didn't doubt that they would willingly now.

When nobody disagreed with any part of her plan and both her father and Killian nodded their accent she turned towards the Farm, torch in hand and began the short walk down the access road which led to the buildings driveway. Everyone began to follow her and Ruby caught her up and fell into step at the front with her.

"Emma how many magic lessons did you have with Regina?" the waitress asked.

"Four" Emma replied honestly. She glanced across at her brunette friend who cringed at the answer. Emma couldn't claim to have anything like the control or knowledge of magic that Regina did but she had a lot of power to tap into. If magic is emotion then she was suitably pissed to be able to summon something pretty devastating.

"That is not very many" Ruby stated.

"No" Emma agreed, "not very many at all."

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**Storybrooke - Charming POV**

It was very rare that David found himself fearing for his own safety when he went into battle. His own safety was something he had control over as he knew he was more than capable of holding his own in a fight. He had always found it terrifying going into battle with someone he loved. That person was usually Snow and he had always had enough faith in her abilities as a warrior to allow him to focus on his own fight. He had even gone into battle at Emma's side before and felt relatively confident. In the past they had a plan or felt like they had the element of surprise or something in their favour. This time they were rushing in on two superior foes with a hobbled together plan, a depleted group of fighters and a fear that it could be the end of their world as they know it if they fail.

Regina had told him one of Emma's recent lessons that his daughter was the most powerful person she had ever met. She had told him that what she lacked was control and belief in those powers. Emma was not ready to face someone like Zelena but as the saviour it was her birthright to face the Witch anyway. That thought made him more nervous than he had ever been before.

As the tree line finished and the farm came into view Emma sent Archie, Marco and Granny into the edge of the forest to skirt round to the back of the shed's that were located close to the main farmhouse building. Ruby moved to Belle's side and the dwarves spread out across the field in front of the farm. As they moved further away it was harder to make out which one was which in the semi dark. Emma remained on the driveway and David and Hook followed behind her. Tink stayed further back on the driveway and used the fairy dust she had brought with her to light up the farmland so it held a strange blue hue. Visibility still wasn't perfect but it was better than it being pitch black.

"Come out come out" Emma called out as they got within fifty yards of the farmhouse.

The blond stopped and waited for the Witch to come to her. David knew it was a good tactical decision to take her on in the wide open space as they could see any threat coming and there were few objects or buildings to be thrown into.

"Come on Zelena why are you hiding from the amateur?" Emma shouted irritably when there was no immediate response.

His daughter's words must have hit a nerve because instantly there was a green cloud of smoke only a few metres in front of them and both Rumpel and Zelena appeared on the driveway. The witch was dressed in the same clothing she had wore to her and Regina's street fight but she also had a black leather satchel bag which hung by her right hip. At her left his was the all important dagger of the Dark One. In her hands she held two glass vials; one with a white liquid and one filled with a black potion.

"Oh look it's the Saviour" the Witch greeted, "I'm quaking in my ruby slippers."

Belle edged towards Rumpel with the vial of potion she held concealed in her pocket. Ruby moved with her but kept back to back with her friend, watching out for any flying monkeys that may attack. Belle got within a couple of metres of Rumpelstiltskin and stopped; reaching her hand out to the man she loved. David could see the fear in the other man's eyes. He was scared he would be made to hurt the only person left that he cared about.

"Give me Regina's heart" Emma demanded, keeping most of the Witch's attention on her and only watching Belle out of the corner of her eye.

"Why would I do that?" Zelena asked smoothly. The green witch smiled confidently and shrugged her shoulders dramatically at the blond.

"Give it to me or I'll take it from you" Emma shot back, her lips twisting upwards in a wry smile. David recognised that look. It was his daughter's 'don't mess with me or I'll make this ugly look'. He only hoped she could back up her brash confidence with some magical action.

"Really? I doubt that" Zelena dismissed Emma's threat in a similar tone she had used in the street only a week before when Emma offered to fight her in Regina's place. "I doubt it so much I will even tell you where it is."

The Wicked Witch patted the leather satchel with her right hand; her confidence in Emma's lack of threat not wavering for a moment.

"It's in here with two other talismans" Zelena continued. "You don't really seem interested in them though. I'm sure your Queen must be touched by your concern...except she's not really in a position to care right now is she."

The laugh that followed the statement was utterly wicked and Hook had to reach out and pull Emma back by her coat to prevent her trying to physically punch the Witch.

"Focus on the magic Swan" Hook muttered into the blonde's ear before releasing his grasp on her again.

Emma's anger driven magical energy was palpable in the air around them even though David had no magic and he could feel that his daughter was close to blowing a fuse. For now at least she stood still and waited to make her move. Zelena cold obviously feel the blonde's magic rising to the surface because she suddenly seemed keen to move the conversation on and stop gloating.

"If I mix these two potions it will activate the spell and there will be nothing you can do to stop me" she informed all those who were gathered there. The Witch held the two potions out in front of her, one in either hand as she spoke.

"You'll go back in time, why?" Emma asked, eying the potions but still waiting for the right moment to move. David was starting to get itchy about the scenario. He wasn't comfortable with the lack of action but he trusted his daughter to make the right call.

"Now why would I tell you that" Zelena laughed of Emma's question. The green Witch glanced towards her companion, the Dark One, and smiled evilly.

"Do the honours Rumpel" she instructed. As she spoke the words she lifted the two glass vials like she was about to smash them together and Emma sprung into life.

"No" called Belle as the librarian reacted at the same time as Emma. She threw the potion at Rumpel's feet and the vial exploded causing golden strands of magic to wrap around the Dark One and hold him in place.

A lot was happening around David so it was hard for him to process. He was aware of Leroy who was stood quite a distance away shouting about flying monkeys and of Ruby pulling Belle away from Rumpel and Zelena now her role was complete.

His main focus was on his daughter who had thrown a bold of energy at the Witch and knocked her off her feet, sending the two potions sprawling a few feet away onto the grass. Both landed together and unbroken like they had been spelled to do so in the event of an attack. For a second Charming sucked in a deep breath, fearful that Regina's heart may have been crushed in the fall. It was clear though that she had some sort of protection spell on the satchel because it remained undamaged.

Hook had tried to make a run for the fallen witch to grasp the dagger but she was up to fast and she sent him flying several feet away onto the grass on the other side of the drive to the potion vials. Emma threw a fire bolt at the potions themselves but the flames just bounced off the vials and they were left unharmed.

"Silly girl did you think I wouldn't take precautions?!" the Witch screamed at the blond. David recognised that Zelena was now very focused on Emma and the real threat she did indeed pose. It was his chance to try and get to the dagger.

He edged towards Hook who was climbing to his feet and closer to their target as Emma and the Witch threw a couple of bolts of magic each other that met in the middle of the distance between them and cancelled the other out. Just as the two squared up again there was a terrible explosion and flames ripped up in the air to the left of them. Marco and Archie had blown the shed and Zelena jumped in shock. It gave Emma the opportunity she wanted and a blue bolt of her magic through the Witch up in the air so that she landed hard within touching distance of David.

Three things happened at virtually the same time. Firstly, Hook pushed him towards the Witch and out of the way of an incoming flying monkey which the Pirate beat away with the flat of his sword. Secondly, the Dark One was released from his magical binding and instantly sent Emma flying a few feet down the drive. Lastly, Charming managed to reach out as he fell and smack the hilt of the dagger so that the leather of the belt snapped and the dagger flew about six feet away from the both of them.

Emma was struggling to her feet looking rather dazed which gave Zelena the opportunity to use her magic to summon the potion back into her grasp. Rumpel seemed to be lining Emma up for another blow when suddenly he halted and turned in David's direction. The prince glanced over his shoulder and saw what had caught the other man's attention.

"Rumpelstiltskin I command you" Belle called out through her own relieved tears as she held the Dark One's dagger in the air.

David climbed to his feet, hopeful that this fight would soon be over now they had the Dark One back on side. His hopes were dashed though when there was load roaring sound. He turned back towards Zelena to find that the woman had managed to smash the vials together and open a swirling grey portal.

"Too late" the Witch stated victoriously. No one had a chance to react before Zelena stepped through the portal. There was a strangled cry as the flying monkeys all started to peel away back into the forest.

David watched in horror as his daughter stumbled through the portal after the Witch and the grey light started to fade. He was quite far away from the portal but he still tried to run at it. Just before the portal closed completely Hook who had been stood nearer managed to reach it and leap through.

"Emma!" he cried out as he came to a stop.

The Prince stood and looked at the driveway where the portal had just been in a state of shock. This was the second time he'd had to watch his daughter go through a portal and into unknown danger and it was the second time he'd been just to slow to go through with her and help her. David was thankful that the Pirate had managed to succeed in following her though. He trusted Hook to fight for Emma and help get her home safely even if Emma had made it clear they could never be a romantic item.

However no matter how much faith he had in Emma or Hook he was filled with a sudden dread when he realised he would have to return to the apartment and explain all this to his wife and their grandson.


	5. Chapter 5

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 5**

**The Enchanted Forest - Emma POV**

As soon as her feet hit soft meadow grass on the other side of the portal Emma rather ungracefully tripped over and landed in a heap. She glanced up from the floor just in time to see the Wicked Witch disappear into a cloud of green smoke.

The blond tried to stand but was instantly barrelled over by someone else coming through the portal. She registered the sound of the portal closing as she sat up again. The person she expected to see lay on the floor with her was her father Prince Charming but she instantly recognised the leather coat of her companion. It was Hook.

"You okay?" she asked as he rolled onto his back and groaned.

"You are more solid than you look Swan" he complained; grasping his chest like she had knocked the wind out of him.

Emma scrambled to her feet and offered him her hand. Hook grasped onto her arm and she pulled him to his feet too.

"Where is out putrid looking friend?" the Pirate asked as he placed his sword back in his scabbard and dusted off his coat.

"She went poof the second we got here" the blond informed him.

"Well that's not good" Hook quipped.

"Did you expect her to stand around and chat?" Emma asked dryly.

The blond wanted to try and focus on what was happening and not make idle conversation. She was glad that she had company on this adventure into the past but the Pirate was unlikely to be much help in this scenario, she could have done with an Enchanted Forest resident like her father or Ruby. The blond looked towards the patch of land were the portal had opened and sighed.

"No" Hook replied, rolling his eyes at her tone. When he saw that she was gazing at the area were the portal had been his tone and expression softened. "Your father tried to get to the portal on time too love but he was too far away. He did however manage to relieve Zelena of the Dark One's dagger so at least your family is safe."

Emma kept her back to the Pirate so he couldn't see her frustration. Given the scenario they had found themselves in she doubted anyone was 'safe'. If Emma couldn't succeed in stopping Zelena then she may never see her family again. Her last moments with Henry would have been a conversation that turned his world upside down.

"Where are we?" Hook asked.

"The Enchanted Forest" Emma replied swiftly. "I think the real question is **when** are we and **why** are we here at this particular time."

After spending days wandering around the forest with Snow, Mulan and Aurora she easily recognised the look and feel of the Enchanted Forest. Its trees were old and strong and even the air held a sense of magic. She hadn't recognised the strange light feeling it had given her the first time around but now that Regina had helped her tap into and except her own magic she understood the light headedness now. She was even pretty sure she had crossed this part of the Forest with Snow and Mulan when they had been racing to find the last of the poppies. It was hard to tell in the dark though even if the large moon gave the clearing an ethereal glow.

"You think if we can figure out at what point along the timeline we have found ourselves we may be able to predict the Witch's plan?" Hook enquired. "How exactly do you plan on going about discovering our place in time without coming across as insane?"

That was a very good question. It would appear strange to even the most uneducated person if they started asking questions especially considering their state of dress. Hook may smell like a peasant but he certainly looked like an eyeliner clad Pirate and she looked completely foreign in her red leather jacket and jeans. It hadn't been an issue during the last visit because the land had been ravished by the curse. This time subtly was required if they were going to stealthily slide through the countryside and fix whatever mess Zelena intended on making.

Emma knew of one way to fix their point in the timeline and that was to find out who currently sat on the throne and how old they key players such as Snow and Regina were. If they had gone back any earlier than the birth of either of those two then Emma would probably be clueless.

"We need to go to the Palace" Emma answered Hook's question after some thought.

"The Summer Palace?" the Pirate enquired.

"No" Emma chuckled, knowing her answer was about to shock her travel companion; "The other one."

Hook's reaction was completely predictable. There was a look of shock followed by exasperation...and then he went into his pocket and retrieved his hip flask. After a particularly large mouthful of rum the Pirate finally commented on her plan.

"Swan if Regina is the Evil Queen by now then that is somewhere you do not want to go. I know you've become magic buddies back home but here...well here she was an evil tyrant with no patience, no remorse and no time for strangers."

"And yet that is exactly where I am going" she replied calmly.

She was aware that he had a valid point but she had no intentions of heading to the castle gates and knocking. All she needed to do was get near enough to discover whether or not it was Regina who was Queen or whether it was earlier than that when her grandfather Leopold was still alive.

"Are you coming?" she asked the Pirate before turning and walking away without waiting for a response.

"Of course I'm bloody coming" Hook mumbled just loud enough for her to here as he followed on behind her.

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**Storybrooke – Belle's POV**

As the portal closed Belle was frozen in place. She held Rumpel's dagger in her hands and was overcome with relief that they had released him from Zelena's control but she was also worried and upset that Emma had been forced to chase Zelena into the portal.

"Belle" Rumpel's voice broke her trance and she stumbled towards him and fell into his arms. Despite the crown of onlookers he kissed her deeply and she clung on to him for dear life until after several long seconds he pulled out of her embrace.

"Thank you" he directed towards all those present, "thank you for releasing me from Zelena's control."

The scattered group began to close up again now the threat had died down and everyone's attention fell upon their Prince. Charming looked utterly lost and totally heartbroken and hadn't moved since the portal had closed. He only realised everyone was looking at him when Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"We failed" Charming stated emotionlessly. "Zelena succeeded in opening the portal and now Emma is stuck in the past with her."

Belle felt Rumpel release himself from her hold and he stepped closer to Charming. Just as he did so Marco, Archie and Granny reached the group. Both Marco and Archie were covered in black soot from the explosion.

"All is not lost yet" Rumpel encouraged the Prince, "If anyone can stop the Witch then its Miss Swan."

Belle knew him better than anyone and she could tell that his reassurances came from more than just the fact Emma was the Saviour. It was something she would question him about in private though in case there was an important reason he was holding something back.

"And she's not alone" Ruby chirped up. "Hook is with her."

Charming nodded at the waitress who still had her hand clasped firmly on his shoulder. He reached up with his non sword holding hand and placed it upon hers, silently thanking her for the reassurance.

"Do you know of Zelena's plan?" the Prince asked Rumpel.

"She plans to prevent Regina from being the one to cast the curse" Rumpel replied evenly. "She wishes to be the one to have cast it."

"How does she plan to do that? Kill Regina?" Charming continued his questions and they tried to make sense of the Witch's plot.

"Oh no" Rumpel shook his head as he spoke. "Zelena wants Regina to be nothing...to feel how Zelena views herself...to be denied her happy ending like everyone else."

"Then how does she plan to succeed then?" the Prince asked, confusion written across his features. Belle had guessed where this was going and she knew everyone in the clearing was about to get a terrible shock.

"She plans to kill the young Snow so Regina has no cause to become embittered and turn to magic" Rumpel answered slowly, sighing as he spoke. "She will instead just be an unhappy wife locked into marriage with the old king."

Charming's face fell so far it practically plunged and his sword dropped from his hand. The weapon clattered against the driveway with an echoing ring. It was the only sound in sea of silence. A silence that dragge don for several horrible seconds.

"But if Snow White dies..." Archie began to speak but Rumpel cut him off mid sentence.

"Then her and Charming will never meet and produce the child of true love so the curse will have no break out clause."

Everyone was silent again as they took aboard his words and thought them through. The repercussions to such a change would be massive. Belle doubted anyone would be able to fully predict them but one thing was certain...Emma would never exist and therefore neither would Henry.

"Regina" Charming suddenly threw his hands in the air and looked panicked. "The spell was cast so Regina..."

"...Will be fine for now" Rumpel cut in reassuringly. "The spell feed's off the energy from the totems so death is not instant."

Charming looked relieved. Seeing Snow, David, Emma and Regina get on had taken some getting used to for all the residents but Belle liked to think of herself as an expert on redemption after all her trials and tribulations with Rumpelstiltskin. There was no denying that Charming's concern was genuine and was probably enflamed by the fact his pregnant wife and grandson were with Regina at this very second in time. A grandson who had probably just found out that Regina had actually raised him.

"Can we help her?" Belle asked.

Rumpel turned back towards her and looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. He reached out and took her hand, smiling slightly before he replied.

"I may be able to buy her some more time but that relies upon Miss Swan not only stopping Zelena but also being able to retrieve the heart before it is too late. It also relies on her figuring out that the heart needs retrieving."

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**The Enchanted Forest - Hook POV**

When he had leapt through the portal Hook had been expecting an epic battle followed by instant success or instant death. He hadn't expected to find himself trapped in the past and traipsing through the Enchanted Forest into unknown danger, trying to foil Zelena's unknown plot with the woman who utterly refused his hand in marriage only an hour or so before.

In all honesty he hadn't really thought about anything other than making sure said woman, the lovely Emma Swan, was safe. Even if she could never love him it didn't change his own feelings for her or for her safety. Besides he hadn't totally given up yet so some time alone may be just the thing he needed to finally win her heart. That was if she ever stopped storming off ahead of him.

"How far are we away do you think?" the blonde suddenly dropped back and asked.

"About a two day walk I think" Hook replied, flashing his most dashing smile. "I recognise this part of the forest from when I was here during the missing year. Me and my men camped out here for a bit whilst I played the dandy highway man."

"With all that eyeliner you must have looked like Adam Ant" the blonde scoffed. Hook just looked at her blankly as he had no idea what this Adam Ant was or why she found it so funny.

"Never mind" Emma shrugged her own comment off. "Two days could be too long."

Quite what the blond expected him to do about it he wasn't sure. It wasn't like he could bend time or anything; she was the one with all the power.

"We'll you have magic" he pointed out, "**poof** us there."

"I daren't" Emma admitted. "I have never done it before and Regina told me once that it was something that could go horribly wrong."

He glanced down at the hook where his hand had once been and cringed. It may have given him a colourful moniker but he did not fancy having a wooden leg or something else to add to it. Any moniker given to him for that would have to be abbreviated for common use.

"Ah yes let's give that a miss then as I'd like to keep my remaining limbs intact" he stated good humouredly.

The blond began to walk on a bit quicker again but this time he also increased his speed and stayed alongside her. She glanced across at him awkwardly before engaging him in conversation again.

"The first village we get to we need to find ourselves clothes that will allow us to blend in and a couple of horses."

Hook had never seen Emma within a mile of a horse never mind on one and he couldn't imagine the Boston girl even knew how to ride. It would certainly significantly cut down the amount of time it would take them to reach the Palace if she managed to stay onboard. Riding was not as easy as it looked especially as a horse was a living, breathing, thinking and often stubborn creature. Swan was right about the way they were dressed even though he was loathed to change out of the clothing he was comfortable in.

"And how exactly do you plan to pay for all this love?" he asked. Other than his sword and his hip flask he had nothing of value to trade. Emma had a dagger down her boot and a gun. He doubted she'd part with either of them.

"Well let me see...I used to be a thief and you are a pirate slash highway man" Emma rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"Point taken" Hook sulked. How was he meant to know the Saviour planned on thieving from innocents?

"Either that or I could do this" Emma said and she made a fist and flicked her wrist. When she opened her hand again it contained several gold coins. The blond smiled broadly as she looked down at her magical spoils. She was starting to believe in her abilities.

"That's very impressive" he encouraged her. "Later, when I run out, you can practise some more by topping up my rum."


	6. Chapter 6

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 6**

**Storybrooke - Snow POV**

Snow had been sat on the armchair by her bed watching over the cursed form of Regina for nearly an hour. She had a blanket draped around her shoulders and had dozed in and out of a light sleep whilst waiting for her family to return. She was worried about them of course but pregnancy seemed to wipe her out no matter what perils were going on around her.

Henry had been sat on the sofa skim reading through the book but had fallen asleep over half an hour ago with the book still balancing on his chest. It was no surprise that he could stay awake no longer as it was nearly one in the morning. Growing twelve year old boys need their sleep.

She was just starting to dose of yet again when she heard the apartment door unlocking. She clambered to her feet, relief flooding her, and went to greet her family. When Charming entered with only Belle and Rumpelstiltskin she froze half way across the room from him.

"Where is Emma?" she asked quietly. Even though panic was starting to set in she did not want to wake Henry.

Charming spotted the sleeping form of Henry on the sofa and headed towards Snow. Belle closed the door as quietly as possible behind them and she and Rumpelstiltskin headed towards the unconscious form of Regina.

"Zelena managed to open the portal and Emma and Hook followed her through" Charming explained as he reached his wife. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Snow could see the sadness and the worry he was feeling and she reached out for him too.

"If Zelena opened the portal then how is Regina still alive?" she asked. Regina's chest had been rising and falling as Snow had watched her. She was definitely still alive.

"Gold said the spell works by draining the three talismans" Charming explained. "Eventually she will die unless Emma can retrieve the heart in time."

Snow released her husband and rubbed her hands across her face. This was all a total mess. Emma was chasing the Wicked Witch around the Enchanted Forest of the past and all they could do was sit and hope their daughter could succeed in stopping her. Meanwhile they would be forced to watch Regina's slow decline. Even in the darkest days of their relationship Snow would not have wished to witness such a thing. Now they were loosely what you could describe as friends and certainly family it was going to be terrible.

"I'm sorry" Charming said sadly. He still had his hands resting on her shoulders even though she had released him. She could feel his hands trembling.

"I tried to follow her through but I was too far away" he continued with a guilt ridden voice. Snow reached up and cupped his cheeks with her hands. Her husband was a brave and proud man and it would be eating him up that he could not protect his daughter or go with her into danger.

"We have to have belief in Emma…she can do this" Snow encouraged him in the only way she knew how.

People often told them both that they were eternally optimistic and made it sound like a fault but Snow had always felt it was their strength. They had always believed in each other no matter what the circumstances and it had always turned out okay in the end. Now they had to trust that their daughter could believe in herself and achieve the same.

"I believe in her" Charming stated with a slightly forced smile. "Do we wake up Henry and tell him what has happened?"

Snow released her husband again and turned her attention to the young boy curled up asleep on the sofa. They had to tell him what had happened as it wasn't fair or possible to hide it from him. He had only just fallen asleep though and was unlikely to settle after being told such frightening news. It would be cruel to wake him up now.

"Let him sleep a little first" she replied.

Snow moved away from her husband and removed the book from Henry's chest, placing it on the coffee table with the page he had last read still open. She unfolded the fleece throw that was placed on the arm of the sofa and covered him with it. He would be warm enough on the sofa for now.

"Did Emma tell him who we are?" Charming asked after Snow had finished tending to their grandson.

"Yes" Snow replied, "I think he took it quite well although he hasn't spoken about it since Emma left."

Her husband nodded and looked down at the 'Once Upon a Time' book that lay open on the table. The page that lay open was the story of their true love's kiss that had broken the sleeping curse. The illustration was Snow lay in the glass coffin with Charming and the dwarves looking down at her.

"He's reading our story" Charming smiled as he reached out and touched the illustration with his fingertips. Snow smiled at his naivety. Although she had no doubt Henry would want to know about his them, they were his grandparents after all, she was sure that for now he would be more interested in learning about the woman who lay in their bed.

"…and Regina's" she stated softly.

Her husband looked back to their grandson and sighed. Whatever he may or may not have been planning to say was lost though when Rumpelstiltskin reappeared from beside Regina's bed.

"Her condition is stable but she will decline rapidly" he informed them quietly, coming to a halt alongside them. Snow caught the affectionate look that passed across his face as he looked down at Henry. He was Rumpel's grandson too and the only living link to his son. Snow suspected that if they all survived this; if Emma succeeded, then Rumpel would probably spoil Henry rotten.

"How much time does she have?" Charming asked. His question drew Rumpelstiltskin's attention back to events at hand and the business mask reappeared instantly.

"I have a preservation potion back in the shop that should help draw it out to a couple of days" he explained. "How long exactly depends on Regina herself and how well her body fights it. Of course she may be hindered slightly by the sleeping curse."

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**The Enchanted Forest - Emma POV**

They had walked for a couple of hours before Emma had finally relented and agreed to get a couple of hours sleep whilst it was still dark. They had found a large fallen tree and slept sitting up against it until Emma's phone alarm had awoken them. After yet another hour of walking they had found a road and were now following it in the direction they hoped the palace was in.

Hook had insisted on talking at her for the first half an hour but had long since given up. She didn't dislike his conversation but there was just too much on her mind to concentrate of his needless chatter. Her parents were back in Storybrooke and her son. Henry had only just found out about who they all really where and now she had disappeared through a portal leaving him to deal with that new knowledge without her. His other mother...the woman he had just found out was also his mother…well Emma shuddered to think what had happened once the time travelling spell had been cast.

"Do you think she's dead?" she asked the Pirate. Her question caught him by surprise as she had been silent for so long and his shoulders lifted from the dejected position they had previously been in.

"Zelena?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice.

"No…Regina" she replied in a clipped tone. Why on earth would she be asking about Zelena when it was clear the green Witch was flitting around the Forest somewhere trying to cause mayhem?

"Well Belle said that the Talismans would somehow power the spell" Hook responded, his tone suggesting he held little hope of Regina being anything other than dead.

Not that the Pirate sounded concerned at the prospect. The two had always shown each other little care but a begrudging respect since Emma had known them. Recently though Emma had detected signs of Hook being jealous of the amount of time she had spent with Regina whilst avoiding him.

"Even if we succeed in stopping Zelena she may have succeeded in ripping two of Henry's parents away from him" Emma shared her thoughts with the Pirate.

"Good job he one spare then" Hook quipped. His humour was completely inappropriate at this time and it made Emma's blood boil. This was why she could never truly love him. He would never care completely for anyone but himself.

"How is this funny?" she snapped. "You claim to have cared for Neal but you grieved him for only moments before using his loss as a chance to finally sink your claws into me. You say you like and care for Henry yet you dismiss the possible passing of the woman who brought him up with a joke."

The second she had started scolding him the Pirate's face fell and he knew he had utterly put his foot in it. As hard as he tried his pitiful facial expression didn't win him any sympathy points from Emma today. He seemed to realise it was ineffectual and turned his tactics to an apology.

"I'm sorry" he conceded; "I have a nasty habit of deflecting serious conversations through humour."

On a different day Emma would have continued to verbally scrap with him about it but she had more important things to worry about. So instead the blond merely turned her back on him and continued their journey. He skulked just behind her but left well alone.

After only a few more minutes Emma rounded a bend in the road and jumped in surprise because a couple of hundred yards ahead of them was a village. Hook, who was still sulking, was still oblivious so she grabbed his arm and pulled him off the road and behind a large oak tree.

"Well Swan…one minute you are criticizing me the next you are jumping me" the Pirate chuckled as his back slammed against the tree. Emma rolled her eyes again before dragging his body so he could see around the tree.

"Village" she explained irritably.

The sight of civilisation turned the Pirate's expression from jovial to serious and he pulled her further back behind the cover of the tree.

"I suggest you wait here" he instructed.

"What? Why?" Emma asked; her grip on his leather coat increasing.

"I may look a little out of place Swan but you look like you are from another planet" the Pirate pointed out. He latched his hook onto the sleeve of her red leather jacket and tugged the hand away from him so she was no longer holding him in place.

One thing Emma had hated about being in the Enchanted Forest with her mother after the Wraith had dragged her through the portal was how useless she felt. She didn't feel like having a repeat of that experience with Hook especially now she had experienced traveling through other lands and had finally found some belief in herself. He was rather unfortunately correct though as she looked totally conspicuous. So the blond stepped back out of his space and handed him the gold coins she had stored in her pocket.

"Okay go" she agreed.

"I won't be long" he promised, "wait right here."

Hook didn't wait for a response and returned to the road. Emma watched him approach the village, relieved to see that none of the residents in sight paid him much attention.

Once he was out of sight she sat with her back against the tree and waited. It was still early in the morning and she had barely slept. It was hard to keep her eyes open and at some point the must have slid shut as her body gave into the exhaustion.

"Hey wake up."

A strong hand shook her shoulder and Emma was up on her feet in a flash even though she was dazed from her nap. It took her a couple of seconds to realise it was just Hook although he was now wearing cream breeches, a brown thigh length coat and a brown leather satchel. It was incredibly strange to see him wear anything other than his usual clothing. She wasn't sure exactly how long he had been gone but the light creeping through the tree cover was much brighter now so she knew he had been gone for a little while.

"Two horses as ordered" he stated cheerfully, gesturing with his hook to the two beasts that were tied up to the tree at the edge of the road. They were much larger than Emma had expected, she doubted she would be able to look over their backs if she stood next to them. It would be a baptism of fire considering she had never even sat on a pony before never mind tried to control one.

"What is this?" she asked as the Pirate thrust a mass of blue and grey material towards her.

"It's a dress…and a cloak" he replied dryly.

She looked down at the clothing again and ran her hand over it. The material felt barely softer than the material people made sacks out of. She was going to look utterly ridiculous and feel really uncomfortable.

"What kind of clothes did you think I was going to be able to purchase from peasants?!" Hook exclaimed as he watched her horrified expression. She glared at him before taking her coat and gun belt off. He obviously expected her to strip but in true Captain Hook fashion he continued to look at her. His face fell when she merely pulled the blue dress on over her vest top and skinny jeans and smiled victoriously at him.

She fastened her belt around the dress so the gun was at her hip and threw the grey cloak over her shoulders. Once Emma had tied the cloak around her neck she turned her attention back to the overconfident Pirate.

"What's in the bag?" she asked, pointing at his satchel. As Emma spoke she scooped up her red leather jacket. There was no way she was just leaving behind as it held sentimental value for her; in the movies horses usually had saddle bags so she'd hide it in there.

"Provisions for our trip" Hook replied, tapping the bag with his hook. "I have water skins, bread and salted pork."

The Pirate removed a couple of pieces of bread from his bag and tossed her one which she caught with ease. The bread wasn't exactly fresh but it would fill a hole. Hook chuckled as she inspected the food.

"Let me guess…what kind of food did I expect you to purchase from peasants?" Emma repeated his earlier excuse with a good helping of sarcasm. He merely responded by taking a large bite full of the bread as he gazed at her. Apparently turning down his offer of marriage wasn't going to prevent him flirting.

Emma turned away from him and headed to the two horses, eating her bread as she went. She stroked both horses' noses in an attempt to choose between the two. One was nearly completely black apart from a white splodge on its head and the other was ginger with a white stripe on its face and white creeping up its legs. Both allowed her to stroke them but the ginger one seemed a bit on its toes and kept snorting. She decided the black one felt a little bit safer so she stuffed her coat into the leather pouch attached to its saddle.

"Check your girth before you get on" Hook instructed as he joined her by the two horses. When she looked at him blankly he pulled up the flap on the saddle and tightened the belt that held the saddle in place on her horse.

"Let me give you a leg up" he offered as he untied her horse and put the reins over the horses head. Emma knew what they were at least and what they were used for.

Emma wanted to protest but she doubted she would be able to get up without help especially in a dress so she nodded her accent. He grasped her right leg and bent it from her knee so it was at a right angle.

"Jump" he instructed. She followed his command and as she jumped her pushed her upwards and somehow she found herself sat astride the saddle. She managed to shuffle her dress to make it more comfortable and he handed her the reins and showed her how to hold them.

"It's a gentle squeeze to go, a gentle pull to stop and just guide him in the direction you want him to turn" Hook instructed as he fiddles with the metal stirrups she had her feet in until they were a comfortable length.

"Thanks" she said genuinely once he had finished. He smiled in return and untied his own horse, checking its girth and leaping on from the floor. Once he had sorted his own stirrups he rode up alongside her.

"What is his name?" she asked, feeling the need to bond with the animal she was sat on.

"Thunder" Hook chuckled, "or so said John the blacksmith who I bought him from."


	7. Chapter 7

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 7**

**Storybrooke – Snow POV**

Charming had sent Snow to sleep in Emma's old room for a couple of hours whilst he had sat in the living area in case Henry woke up. At about five in the morning she had woken up and swapped with him so he could also get some rest. Gold and Belle had collected the potion from his shop and returned whilst she had been sleeping and the two were now asleep in two armchairs by the bed Regina lay in. Every now and again Rumpelstiltkin would wake up and check on the brunette before returning to the armchair to rest again.

It was about seven in the morning when Henry finally stirred and as he sat up on the sofa and stretched Snow moved from her armchair to sit with him.

"Where is my mom?" he asked as he glanced towards the light streaming in through the window. He was a clever boy and even is his sleepy state he could tell it had been hours since Emma had gone out.

Snow took a deep breath, building up the courage to explain it all to her grandson. There could be no hiding anything from him even though it would probably terrify him that his mother was no longer in the only world he remembered.

"Henry I need you to listen carefully to me and I need you to try not to panic" Snow spoke softly. "Last night you mom went to try and stop a very bad person, a Wicked Witch called Zelena, opening a portal. She didn't succeed in stopping her so Emma and Hook went through the portal after her."

The boys brow knitted in confusion as and worry as he listened and processed what she was trying to tell him.

"Through a portal? Like a portal to another place?" he asked; his voice high and laced with fear.

"That's right" Snow replied as calmly as she could muster. She had to try and stay optimistic so he didn't worry too much. "It was a portal to this world except it was a special type of portal that has taken them back in time."

"Back in time? Why? ...How is my mom going to get back?" Henry flustered, the fleece blanket slid off him and onto the floor as he swivelled around on the sofa so he was sat upright. Snow reached out and grasped his hand, giving it a tight and comforting squeeze.

"Your mom is very resourceful Henry and she is a great hero" Snow encouraged him with the most optimistic tone she could muster. "I know she will stop Zelena and find her way back to us as soon as she can."

Her words and confident manner seemed to calm the boy slightly. Henry had always been an eternal optimist like his grandparents. He had believed that good would triumph against evil no matter what evil tried to do. He believed in people who others could not bring themselves to believe him. Henry may not remember these things but it was in his genetics to trust that all would be well. He was a Charming through and through in that respect.

"As for your other question" Snow continued. "Apparently Zelena wants to take her half-sister's place and be the person who cast the curse that brought us all here in the first place."

"The Evil Queen cast the curse" Henry stated as he began to put the pieces together very quickly for a boy of only twelve.

"Regina is Zelena's half-sister yes" Snow clarified. "Regina's mother Cora gave Zelena up and that has made her very jealous of Regina."

Henry stood up and stretched again, his eyes falling upon the open 'Once Upon a Time' book as he finished. He moved closer to the book and looked between the picture of Snow White in the book and the women herself.

"This is a lot to take in" Henry admitted. "I mean…my mom said you are my grandma but you are like the same age as her."

She had expected him to start asking questions sooner rather than later as he was naturally inquisitive. Virtually the entire story was fantastical and unbelievable but having grandparents in their late twenties was probably right up there with magic being real and Archie once being a cricket.

"Actually physically I'm a couple of years younger" Snow explained. "When the curse brought us hear it froze us in time. So whilst Emma aged for twenty eight years we did not. It made our reunion when she broke the curse a little weird especially as she had been living as my room-mate."

Henry opened his mouth to ask something else but then movement behind them distracted him and he turned to see Rumpelstiltskin walking to Regina's bed to check on her again. As Rumpel had been held in captivity for the entire time Henry had been back in Storybrooke the two hadn't met and the boy looked surprised to see a stranger in the apartment with them.

Snow got to her feet too and lead Henry toward the back of the apartment were Regina laid unconscious her and Charming's bed. The older man noticed their arrival and greeted them by bowing his head as he continued to check Regina's temperature with a thermometer. He looked surprised to see them both awake.

"Henry this is Mr Gold" Snow introduced her grandson to a slightly startled looking Rumpel. "He's helping care for Regina…he's also your other granddad."

**Storybrooke – Gold POV**

Rumpel blinked awake and checked his watch. It was seven fifteen in the morning, nearly an hour since he had checked on the once Evil Queen last. He was a light sleeper and always woke several times during the night especially when circumstances forced him to sleep in a wooden armchair padded only by a couple of cushions and a thin blanket. Every time he had awoken he had checked of Regina's condition. So far the brunette had remained stable but it was only early days, soon her condition would begin to decline.

Since Belle had come in to his life and taught him the value of true love he had found himself more reflective over his past actions. He had used the woman lying unconscious before him rather appallingly. Every person has the potential to go dark but as the daughter of a woman such as Cora then Regina had been a soft target especially after her mother killer the man she loved and forced her into an advantageous but loveless marriage. The brunette had been ripe for the picking and he had twisted her into what he needed...a person desperate enough for a new start to cast a devastating curse.

He didn't regret his actions exactly as they had led him to this land like he had planned and allowed him to reunite with his son. Even after losing Bae for good only days ago he didn't regret the chance to make amends with his son. He did feel sorry though that he had caused Regina so much pain just to meet his own needs. Nursing her now seemed the only way for him to make any amends. It was what Belle would tell him was the right thing to do and it is what Bae would want him to do too especially as Regina was the adoptive mother of Bae's son.

Rumpel was checking Regina's temperature, as she started to feel the effects of the drain on her absent heart it was bound to make her body fever. He became aware of someone approaching and glanced towards the right to see Snow White and Henry by the staircase. Seeing Henry awake caused a wave of sadness over the loss of his son as he could see some of Neal's features in Henry's face.

"Henry this is Mr Gold" the princess began to introduce Henry to him. "He's helping care for Regina…he's also your other granddad."

Rumpel was slightly taken back by the introduction. He was aware that Henry now knew he was missing memories and that they were all from another land but he didn't expect Snow White to be so open about his own relationship to the boy.

"You're my dad's dad?" Henry asked with curiosity and a little bit of excitement bubbling in his voice.

"Yes that's right Henry" he replied. This was a little out of Rumpel's comfort zone so he did the first thing which came to his head. He reached out and offered his grandson his hand to shake. Henry did not seem fazed by such a greeting and reached out and shook the offered hand.

"I…I didn't see you at the funeral" Henry half stated and half asked as he dropped his hand away. The boy glanced between him and Snow White as he tried to understand if it was an appropriate question for him to ask or if his curiosity had gone a little too far too quickly.

"Mr Gold was being held captive by the Witch" Snow answered before Rumpel had the chance. "Emma rescued him last night."

The boy looked sad for him because he had missed his own son's funeral. It made Rumpel even more flustered so he returned his focus to Regina. It had been well over a minute since he put the thermometer in her mouth so he removed it and checked were the red line was. The woman's temperature was still stable and at a normal level. He used a sterile wipe to clean the instrument and placed it back in its clear tube.

"Wait is you are Baelfire's dad then that makes you Rumpelstiltskin?" Henry suddenly chirped up.

"You've been reading the book" Rumpel stated, glancing up at the boy and nodding as he spoke. He had seen the fairy tales draped over the sleeping form of the boy when he had entered for the first time last night.

Henry went quiet again as Rumpel continued his check-up of the Mayor. This time Rumpel used magic to scan over her body and check for any fluctuations in her health both physical and magical. For the moment Regina seemed in good general health and there were no signs of her magic being bled away.

"Can you wake the Mayor up?" Henry asked as he continued to watch from by the staircase.

Snow had wandered away and was not clattering around the kitchen. Rumpel hoped that it was a sign she was about to feed them all breakfast because he had been fed gruel for days. The only proper meal he had been given came in the form of a 'celebratory meal' with Zelena that had been set up more like a date. Unlike a date he hadn't been free to leave when he wasn't enjoying it.

"Only true love's kiss can wake your mother up from the sleeping curse" Rumpel returned his attention to Henry's question. "However the curse is the least of her worries."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked instantly.

Rumpel realised that the boy didn't know what exactly had happened to his adoptive mother. It was too late to try and hide it from him now and as he was technically family he felt within his rights to tell Henry what was going on. He had been a poor father to Bae but he could try to be a good granddad to Henry. He took a seat at the end of the bed so he was facing Henry and only a couple of foot away.

"Well the magic the Witch used to take her and your mother back in time draws its energy from three magical items…one of which is Regina's heart" he explained as delicately as possible. "Unless Emma succeeds in stopping Zelena it will continue to draw that energy until there is none left."

All in all he felt it was quite tactful explanation. He could have just gone with 'if the mum you remember fails then the mum you don't remember is going to die'. Belle would be proud.

"It's killing her" Henry stated sadly. Apparently you could sugar coat the explanation as much as you liked but it didn't chase away the reality.

"Yes Henry" Rumpel admitted. "I have given her something to help but apart from that all we can do is watch over her and treat any symptoms that may arise. The rest is up to Emma."

Henry nodded and smiled weakly before heading back towards the sofa. Rumpel remained seated as he watched the boy pick up the book again and continue to read. He had made Henry even more worried and sad. Suddenly a small and elegant hand pressed against his shoulder and squeezed affectionately. He hadn't even realised Belle was awake or for how long she had been listening for.

"You handled that well" Belle encouraged as she sat next to him at the foot of the bed.

"Did I?" he asked disbelievingly. "I think Snow White or Prince Charming may have been able to make it all sound a little more positive."

Belle grasped his hand and pulled him into her, pecking his lips a couple of times before letting him sit straight again. Her actions surprised him slightly but he didn't put up a protest even if they were technically in public. Henry was fully focused on his book and Snow was cooking something delicious smelling so it wasn't like anyone was paying them much attention.

"He needs their optimism yes but he also needs balance" Belle tried to encourage him again. "Henry asked the question because he wanted to know the answer and you gave him an honest answer. It may not be the answer he wished for but he will still appreciate the fact you told him the truth."

Just as Belle was leaning in for another kiss the stairs started to creak and she pulled away again. Charming emerged at the bottom in jeans and a chequered shirt looking rather exhausted after only a couple of hours asleep.

"Hey I smelt pancakes" the Prince greeted, "my body decided food was more important than sleep."

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**The Enchanted Forest - Hook POV**

Riding may be quicker than walking but after two hours in the saddle Hook was starting to recall how much sitting astride a horse could ache after a while. It was one of the reasons he had preferred the sea to the land as a young man looking to make his fortune.

If Hook was feeling a dull ache then Emma was probably very sore considering she had never even been in the saddle before. Not that she would complain about it as she was too pig headed to tell someone she was struggling. The only sign of her discomfort was the fact she kept removing her feet from the stirrups and stretching her legs down. Occasionally when she had her feet back in the stirrups she would stand up slightly when she thought he wasn't looking.

He had been quietly impressed by her adaptability as she had taken to riding quickly and easily. They had even achieved a slow canter a couple of times when the road lent itself to moving at speed. A lot of the time the road was stony or uneven so they had kept to a walk. Horses covered the ground a lot quicker in walk than people did though so they were still progressing quickly.

They were currently passing through quite a dense part of the forest and Hook was starting to get the feeling that they were being watched. He had kept his eyes peeled for several minutes but seen nothing. However the feeling did not go and as they approached a large group of tall rocks that stood to the right of the road and several yards off it he understood why. A very familiar figure lay upon the tallest of the rocks with chin propped up on his arm and his beady eyes firmly fixed upon them.

"I think we are stopping here Swan" Hook spoke up, eyeing the man he used to refer to as 'the crocodile' wearily. He may have made peace with the Rumpelstiltskin of their time but this was the imp of the pas and was a different kettle of fish.

"I haven't got time for you to re-do your make up Hook we need to keep moving" Emma snapped at him. She was still oblivious to the man sat on the rocks watching them but it didn't give her an excuse to keep talking to him like that. It was starting to really grate on him.

"That's just rude love" he protested, "but it's not me who wants you to stop."

The blond just continued to look at him like he had grown two heads even though he was blatantly staring past her and at something else. They were virtually next to the rocks by this point.

"You should listen to him dearie" the imp spoke up.

Hook wished he had one of those strange camera devices from Emma's world that took pictures because the look of realisation and fear that suddenly replaced her previous sneer was worth capturing. It was almost comical how fast her expression had switched if it wasn't for the potential seriousness of the conversation.

"Oh" Emma muttered, turning her attention to the familiar man sat just a few yards away from her.

"Rumpelstiltskin" she greeted the man calmly even though they had technically not met yet.

"Emma Swan" the imp greeted back.

Hook's own gasp matched the one the blond let out alongside him. How the hell did the Rumpelstiltskin of the past recognise her and know her name?


	8. Chapter 8

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 8**

**The Enchanted Forest - Emma POV**

"Rumpelstiltskin."

Emma greeted the man with his name even though in this time he had never met her before. Considering he was the 'Dark One' she doubted there would be a person in the Enchanted Forest who wouldn't recognise him especially considering the gold glitter hue on his skin. His appearance was so strange that she now understood why Regina often referenced Rumpel as an imp.

"Emma Swan" the imp greeted back. Smiling widely and pointing his forefinger up to the sky as he spoke.

Emma heard Hook gasp to her left. She had been aware that Rumpel knew her name before the curse was cast after she had found the parchment he had written in Squid Ink in his cell. Knowing her name and recognising her appearance were two very different things though and it was unnerving to say the least.

"So we both know each other's name" she brushed off his alarming knowledge with a shrug. She had dealt with Rumpelstiltskin before and she had learnt that confidence was the key. You could never back down and never show weakness.

"Indeed dearie" the man let out a high pitch giggle at her demeanour. "Although I'm a little confused what Snow White's daughter…the saviour…is doing roaming around the Enchanted Forest years before her birth."

Emma had read Henry's book and she knew Rumpel had the gift of foresight but this wasn't pieces of a jigsaw…this was the whole picture. Sometimes she couldn't decide whether she had a grudging respect for him as a master manipulator or if she hated him for mapping out her entire existence. It was even harder to judge him once she discovered he was related to her son. Family was a funny thing and it was something this Rumpel of the past was unaware of.

"I'm here to prevent a disaster" she informed him coolly, "one that would affect your plans for the curse Rumpelstiltskin."

If it affected his plans for the curse then it affected his plans to find his son so she knew it would pique his interest.

"And what is this disaster of which you speak?" Rumpel asked, swinging his legs over the front of the rock and sitting upright with his hands resting on his hips in a rather camp fashion. Emma definitely had his attention now.

"How about you answer my questions and I'll answer yours?" Emma replied confidently. She caught the sideways look Hook gave her but Rumpel seemed delighted that she was taking him on and smiled broadly.

"As you wish dearie" he agreed, gesturing with his hand for her to continue and swinging his legs so his heels knocked against the rock. Emma knew he wouldn't let her ask too many before he wanted answers of his own so she made sure to prioritise.

"Who is the leader of this land?" she asked. Her question drew another strange high pitched giggle from the man. She recognised many of his mannerisms from back in Storybrooke but Rumpel of old was squeakier and crazier.

"Why King Leopold of course" the dark one replied like it was an utterly silly question even though she was well aware he knew it was not.

"And Regina?" Emma asked her second question.

"Is the Kings new wife" Rumpel chuckled. "You grandfather found himself a pretty young thing."

Emma cringed at the reference to the marriage she knew Regina never wanted. She was aware that her grandfather had been a lot older than the brunette when they married and now she supposed she would find out how much older. The thought of a teenage Regina being manhandled by an old man made her stomach turn. Emma now at least had a point on the timeline to work with. Regina had recently married Leopold and Snow was still a child. If Regina was married then Cora was already in Wonderland. Emma was more than relieved that she didn't have to tackle Cora and all her crazy ways again.

"Now my question dearie," Rumpelstiltskin instructed after having given her a few seconds to process his answers. Emma looked up at him and considered her answer. Telling him everything would be time consuming and possibly dangerous so she decided to just stick with the bare minimal.

"Zelena, Regina's half-sister had travelled back in time to try and change her future" Emma explained. "She wants to be the one who casts the curse."

Rumpel's eyebrows shot up at the statement but he didn't comment. The dark one knew they had to be telling the truth because her presence alone indicated time travel however he seemed perplexed by it.

"So your protégé is at risk and we need to save her" Hook suddenly spoke up after being silent for so long. Emma rather wished he hadn't as his derogatory tone caused a flash of irritation across Rumpelstiltskin's face.

"Interesting travel companion you keep" the dark one muttered as he jumped down of the rock and came to stand at the shoulder of her horse.

"I forgot you two have history" Emma snapped at both men. "In my time you've got bored of trying to hurt each other so can we cut the crap and focus on what is important."

"Feisty aren't we dearie" Rumpel giggled again at her expense before continuing more seriously. "Regina is safe because Zelena knows I protect her and if I know Zelena…which I do…she will go for the soft target."

Emma waited for him to continue but instead he just patted the shoulder of Thunder her horse and waited for her to ask him the obvious question. Didn't he realise they were in a rush?

"Which is?" she asked, frustration lacing her voice at his games.

"Why should I help you?" Rumpel asked as he leant against the horses shoulder and looked up at her. "I can manipulate my curse into being cast no matter what happens here and now."

Emma recognised this game from Storybrooke. Rumpel, or Mr Gold as she had once known him, was all about making deals and getting what he wanted out of a situation. She may have been naive to it as new resident in Maine but she was becoming a seasoned professional.

"One day in your future I'm going to help you find your son Bae" she drawled as she lent down so they were face to face. "As it stands now that is guaranteed. Would you really put that outcome at risk after losing him once already?"

Emma prayed that Rumpel didn't start asking her about Neal because he would spot a lie and she really didn't think it would help her cause to tell him that in her time his son was now dead. Luckily her confident answer seemed to satisfy the man and he stood upright again and stepped away from her horse.

"Zelena will try to kill the person whose existence causes Regina enough pain to cast such a curse of course" Rumpel riddled. It didn't take very long to figure out what he was suggesting though.

"My mother…Snow White" she stated. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach as she spoke. Zelena was trying to wipe her family out of existence.

"Well done dearie" the Dark One complimented her, clasping his hands together and giggling yet again. He seemed to be enjoying their chat immensely especially considering she was enjoying it so little.

"What?" Hook asked her. Apparently he hadn't managed to follow the conversation or just didn't believe it.

"No Snow White no bitterness…no bitterness no need to become the evil queen…no evil queen equals no curse unless Rumpelstiltskin turns to somebody else" Emma explained before turning back to Rumpel. Only he wasn't there anymore.

"He's gone" she gasped in surprise.

"Yeah he does that" Hook responded dryly. "It usually means the conversation is over."

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**Storybrooke – Snow POV**

Breakfast had been an odd affair as everyone was deadly quiet. Henry hadn't taken his nose out of the book even whilst he ate and none of the others had slept enough to have energy for chatter. After breakfast Rumpel had excused himself and headed back to his shop to make another potion to help Regina whilst Belle had stayed behind to help Snow keep an eye on Regina. Henry had taken up residence on the sofa with his book and a cup of hot coca.

Snow had just finished washing the breakfast dishes with the help of Belle when Charming re-appeared from upstairs fully dressed for the day complete with shoulder gun holster, sword and Sheriff's badge. Belle left the kitchen area to go check Regina's temperature just as Charming entered it and pecked his wife on her lips.

"Are you going out?" she asked him.

He was currently the Sheriff so it was no surprise he would have to work but it didn't mean she had to like spending time without him. When they were both able to keep busy it wasn't an issue but she was too heavily pregnant to be much use to anyone other than act as Henry's baby sitter. She had always been a woman of action so pottering around the house was getting increasingly boring.

"Yeah those flying monkeys are still out there" Charming replied as he poured himself some juice. "The dwarves stayed on patrol last night just in case there was any trouble. Ruby and Tink are covering the station today so I thought I would go out to the forest."

After he finished talking her husband knocked the glass of juice back in one go and placed the glass back down on the counter with a heavy thud.

"The forest?" Snow enquired.

"Yeah there is an outlaw I want words with" her husband explained. He crammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and gave her a look of steely determination.

"You're going after Robin Hood?" Snow asked. She could tell by the look on his face that he would not be talked out of seeking out the man that had apparently betrayed them but she did want to know what he planned to do to the outlaw.

Snow glanced across to the bedroom area where Regina lay and then back at Charming. They still had no idea how exactly Robin had gotten hold of Regina's heart although Emma seemed to know more than she had told them. They also didn't know why he had done such a thing because he and his men had seemed trustworthy and she couldn't imagine how the Witch's plan could benefit him.

"I just want an explanation off him" Charming admitted.

"And if you don't like his explanation?" Snow asked. In giving Zelena the heart Robin's actions had directly led to them being separated from their daughter yet again. It was playing on her mind so it was certainly playing on her husbands.

"Then there is a jail cell with his name on it" Charming muttered before walking away and putting his coat on.

"I'll ring you once I've spoken to him" he assured her before heading out the door. Henry was still buried so deep in his book that he didn't even notice his newly discovered granddad leave until the door slammed shut.

Snow wandered over to check on the quiet boy. She could understand his curiosity but she was worried that he was burying himself in the book to try and hide the fact he wasn't coping with Emma's absence. As she reached the sofa she realised he not only had the book on his knee but also a notebook and pen in which he was scribbling something.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound curios rather than like she was prying.

"Making a list of who everyone actually is" Henry explained. "I have Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, Rumpelstiltskin and I guessed who Arial and Eric were as they didn't even bother to change their names. Can you tell me some more? Who are Belle, Ruby, Granny, Leroy and Dr Harper? I want to understand who everyone is."

When he was the only person who knew about the curse other than Regina and Gold Henry had read the book from cover to cover again and again and managed to assemble a similar list without help. It was nice and familiar to see him exhibiting a similar desire and curiosity now.

"Well Ruby is Red Riding Hood and Granny is her grandma" Snow explained, "although that one's a bit complicated because unlike the traditional version of the tale Red is actually the wolf too."

"She's a werewolf?!" Henry exclaimed as he scribbled down what she told him. "You know that is really cool right?!"

Snow chuckled at his declaration and decided it was best not to tell him that poor Ruby had ate her own boyfriend so it wasn't always so cool. Belle had wandered over from the bedroom and was now stood at Snow's side peering at Henry's list too.

"Dr Harper is Jiminy Cricket, Leroy is Grumpy, one of the Dwarves and Belle is…Belle" Snow continued, smiling at the woman herself.

"As in Beauty and the Beast Belle?" Henry enquired inquisitively. "Does that mean the Beast here?"

Snow glanced to Belle who looked back at her and shrugged. In this world Rumpel looked and usually acted like any other man so describing him as a beast seemed strange. Henry's books had illustrations though so he would probably understand even if Rumpel wasn't the type of beast the classic fairy tales had described.

"He's already on your list" Belle answered. She leant over the back of the sofa and pointed at the line that read 'Mr Gold – Rumpelstiltskin'.

"My granddad?!" Henry exclaimed as he sat more upright. "Are you also my grandma then?"

Snow couldn't help but laugh at the horror on Belle's face at the idea of being anyone's grandparent. She recognised the feeling well having experienced it when the curse broke and they were reunited with Emma and Henry with their true memories.

"Ohhhhh no!" Belle chuckled as she spoke. "I am aiming to be your step grandma one day but don't tell him that it may terrify him."

Both women laughed again and Henry quirked an eyebrow before settling back down to his book and character list.

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**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and are enjoying the story so far. Remember...reviews make for happy writers x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 9**

**Storybrooke – Charming POV**

The Merry Men had been camped out by the town line since they had all found themselves in Storybrooke when the new curse was cast. After the stunt Robin had pulled David was unsurprised to find that when he drove out there the camp had suddenly moved. He was adept at tracking though and was able to follow the group's movements through the forest until after an hour he reached a clearing were their crude tents and equipment was now set up.

There wasn't a Merry Man in sight which meant they were probably out there in the trees watching him. David was in no mood for an ambush or unnecessary violence so he took charge of the situation instantly. He drew his gun but kept it facing down to the ground and called out into the surrounding forest.

"I'm here to talk so come out" he shouted. "I came alone."

There was the sound of crunching leaves and twigs to the left of him so David turned slowly to face the approaching man. It was Robin himself who edged into the clearing with his crossbow armed and pointed in the Prince's direction.

"You have some explaining to do" David instructed, keeping his gun low despite the fact the outlaw was pointing a weapon at him. Robin's eyes flicked from side to side as he observed Charming's body language and facial expression for any sign of dishonesty.

"Where is Zelena?" the outlaw asked as he copied David's stance and lowered his weapon towards the floor too. Robin looked wearily around the tree line and Charming recognised the action. The outlaw was afraid of being overheard and David was curious to know if it was because he was ashamed to have the Merry Men hear or scared of one of Zelena's simian cronies listening in.

"Zelena escaped through a time travel portal and my daughter is now stuck over there with her trying to fix the mess you helped cause" David replied. "Now tell me why you did this."

"The Witch used magic from the land she is from to view the past and discovered that the Queen was aware she had a true love in the Enchanted Forest. This man bore a lion tattoo on his right arm."

Robin peeled the sleeve of his shirt up as he spoke and revealed the lion tattoo he himself bore. To David the mark looked an awful lot like the lion on his wife's Royal Insignia.

"When Zelena was in our land I had a run in with her and she saw my tattoo" the outlaw continued. "She promised she could prevent my wife's death from ever having happened if I helped her….and if I didn't she would kill my son."

The Prince had sympathy for a man who missed his lost love and for a man who wanted to protect his child. He was a husband and a father himself and was well used to fighting for his family. He had always tried to live his life within the borders of what was right and not succumb to act wrongly just because it was an easier solution.

"Changing history is against every law of magic Robin" the Prince pointed out. "You must have known it was wrong?"

"I said no several times believe me" Robin implored. "I even tried to hide in Rumpelstiltskin's abandoned castle but eventually she discovered my location. By this point you had all began to re-materialise in the Enchanted Forest so the Witch decided she needed a quicker way to manipulate me to her will. She ripped out my heart."

David was not well versed in the ways of magic and he knew there were probably many ways to use it to 'manipulate' someone. There was one way he was familiar with and that was to rip out somebodies heart. Robin would have been terrified that if he didn't do what she asked of him then she would crush his heart and leave his son parentless. Or Zelena could just completely control him using the enchanted heart she had taken.

"Is it here in Storybrooke?" David asked.

"Yes I am sure of it so I tried looking for it at the farm house once whilst she was out but I couldn't find it" Robin admitted. "I didn't get to search fully though because I was interrupted."

David was angry and frustrated that his daughter had yet again ended up apart from him and his wife again but it was not fair to blame Robin for that. The outlaw had been used by Zelena just as surely as Rumpelstiltskin had been.

"I suggest we go back to the farm and search again" he stated, his mind made up that he would help Robin find his heart.

The outlaw did a double take at his words and stepped closer. David couldn't tell if the man looked more shocked or more suspicious. He had obviously not expected kindness after what had happened.

"Why would you help me?" Robin asked.

For David the answer was simple.

"Because it's the right thing to do."

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**The Enchanted Forest - Hook POV**

After nearly four hours in the saddle Emma had finally conceded and allowed them to stop and dismount for a while so they could stretch their legs. They had found a clearing by the side of the road and Hook had taken the horses to the small stream that ran alongside the road to drink whilst Emma disappeared off into the forest for a toilet break.

After tying the horses up to a fallen tree so they could graze for a while Hook knelt by the small stream and splashed water onto is face. The seasons were different in the Enchanted Forest and although it was currently winter in Maine it was hot and humid in the forest. Even under the canopy of the Forest his skin felt hot to the touch after being exposed to so much sunlight.

They had another afternoon of consistent riding ahead of them and that would bring them close to the Royal Palace and into civilisation. He had once plundered the Palace when the Evil Queen had been banished reining there but that didn't mean he knew how to get the both of them inside without being noticed. The Evil Queen didn't have to have a strong personal royal guard because she had enough of a fear factor to keep most away. Leopold on the other hand would have the gates and corridors teeming with armed men.

Just as Hook took a seat on the fallen tree and retrieved his hip flask from his pocket. He unscrewed it and enjoyed a couple of longs sips just as Emma returned to the clearing and began to wash her hands in the stream.

"There is a town not far away from the Palace which we should reach before nightfall" he opened up a conversation the second she rose to her feet. "I suggest we find ourselves lodging there at the local Inn."

It seemed that everything he said irritated the blond during their current journey and she rolled her eyes at him for about the hundredth time since they had arrived through the portal.

"Is that flask of rum not enough for you?" she sniped.

"Could you kindly stop mocking me and listen to what I have to say" he snapped back instantly. He was trying to help and he was getting sick of being her punch bag. His words seemed to penetrate her foul mood and she looked apologetically back at him and gestured for him to continue. Now she was acting like an adult again he reached into the satchel he was carrying and passed her some salted pork and her water skin. She began to chew on the meat, cringing at its salty taste, as he tried to explain his plan.

"If you want to know what exactly is happening at this moment in time and therefore be able to make a plan to get inside the Palace and protect you mother...then the place to here all the gossip is the Inn. People talk when they are drunk Swan."

"Is that why you never shut up?" she quipped between mouthfuls of food.

Killian knew that it was meant as a joke this time but it still frustrated him that she couldn't just be serious or civil with him for a moment. Her walls were well and truly raised as were her heckles.

"Sorry I'm just a little tense" she apologised on seeing his disappointed face.

"You are always tense" he remarked, his mouth running away with him before his brain caught up. "Perhaps it's all those pent up feelings. You should start letting them out a bit more."

The second he said it Hook knew he should have kept his mouth shut. He was causing his own problems with all these flirtatious comments. All this comment drew was an eye roll before she turned away from him and finished her lunch. Killian was sure the conversation had ended until after a couple of minutes of awkward silence she turned back towards him.

"I love my son and I love my parents" she stated. The blonde's tone was calm but her eyes implored him to take her seriously. "I was once in love with Neal and he will always hold a place in my heart because accidently or not he gave me Henry. I don't have a problem with having feelings Killian. Perhaps you need to stop and consider that I just don't have the kind of feelings you want me to have."

As much as it stung he continued to look at her as she spoke. He couldn't claim to have a very good inbuilt lie detector or super power like the blond claimed to have but he honestly didn't sense she was lying. No matter what he wanted or how much he wanted her she apparently did not feel the same. It stung to be a fleeting attraction. It stung that everyone knew how he felt and would know he had been rejected. He had felt pain many times before though and he was more than capable of pushing it down deep inside and ignoring it.

"Are you ready to ride on then Swan" he asked casually, responding to her look of surprise with a forced smirk.

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**Storybrooke – Charming POV**

David had routed around the upstairs of the farm house for over thirty minutes. He had looked under every piece of furniture and every mattress. He had looked through every draw and chest and routed in every coat pocket and bag. He had come up completely empty handed.

A loud bang from downstairs caught his attention so he headed down to see what Robin was doing. A wave of destruction met him as he reached the bottom of the stairs. The sideboard in the hall was tossed over and he could see through an open door in the living room where the furniture was in similar disarray. He found the outlaw in the kitchen emptying all the cupboards out. When Robin realised he was there he offered a frustrated grunt in way of a greeting.

"I have totally dismantled every room down here and there is no sign of it" Robin informed him.

"I can see that" David remarked as he looked around all the cutlery, plates, pans and tins littering the floor. "There was nothing upstairs to suggest a Witch had even been here other than some very strange outfits and an assortment of crazy hats."

Robin remained seated by the last cupboard he had emptied and rubbed his face with his hands. David could see the defeated look on the outlaws face but he wasn't ready to stop looking quite yet.

"Do you think she took it with her?" Robin asked.

David shook his head as the idea just didn't sit right with him. There was no way the Witch would have bothered to take it with her and she only carried a small satchel in which she only had space for the three talismans she needed. Then it dawned on him…they were looking in the wrong place.

"Hang on…we know she was brewing potions yet there are no ingredients or glass vials in the house. That means she was brewing them somewhere else" David surmised. "Follow me"

Robin picked up his crossbow and jumped to his feet. David led the other man out of the farm house and across the grassed area in front until they reached the bunker Emma and Hook had discovered the first time they fell across the farm.

"This is where she was keeping Rumpelstiltskin" David explained as he swung the bunker door open.

Robin did not stand on ceremony and stormed straight in. David followed steadily and glanced around. It looked no different than the last time he had been down here. The room was dark, damp and empty apart from the cell and spinning wheel. Robin began to feel around the walls as the Prince searched for the light. Finally he found the rope and pulled on it. The paltry single light bulb gave a little light but it was still very dim.

"Over here" Robin called out. As he spoke there was a strange grinding sound and the suddenly a wall panel slid to the side revealing another small room.

David bound over to the new opening and flicked on the light switch. Inside the room there were shelves of ingredients and in the middle of the room a large workbench. On top of the work bench was scattered bits of ingredients, vials and a strange contraption that looked like a chemistry set.

Robin began to route around the shelves and David headed over to a large chest that caught his eye under the workbench. He pulled the chest out and opened it up. Inside there was another much smaller decorative wooden chest with red rubies and gold gilding.

He took out the much smaller chest and placed it on the workbench. There was a light thudding sound emanating from the box which sounded very much like a heartbeat.

"Robin" David called to gain the other man's attention.

Robin glanced over from the shelf he was searching and when he saw the box he instantly stopped and headed over to David. The two stood side by side as David opened the box to reveal a glowing heart.

"At least she put it somewhere safe for you" he remarked at their discovery.

Robin reached into the box and plucked out the heart, wasting no time in pressing it back into his own chest.

"Feeling okay?" David asked as he watched the outlaw slam his eyes shut and cringe at the rush of emotions he was feeling. After a few seconds Robin re-opened his eyes and nodded. His face had now returned to its normal expression.

"Yes" the outlaw responded, "thank you."

Charming nodded and headed back out of the bunker and up the stairs. There seemed to be little else of interest at the farm now so he needed to go back to the station and check in on Ruby and Tink.

"How is Regina?" the outlaw suddenly asked, causing David off-guard as he hadn't realised the other man had followed him.

Although Robin had explained why he had helped Zelena the outlaw had avoided mentioning Regina's name at all during their earlier conversations. Obviously with the return of his heart he was now feeling a considerable amount of guilt for his actions.

"The spell uses the energy from Regina's heart so if Emma doesn't stop Zelena soon then she will die" David replied honestly.

"I may not the right man with the lion tattoo" Robin said sadly, "but despite her former reputation she really is a good person and I am sorry about what happened."

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	10. Chapter 10

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 10**

**Storybrooke - Snow POV**

Belle had gone home at around three in the afternoon and Rumpel had returned to take her place at Regina's bedside. He had begun the process of brewing a new potion to help the brunette but the final ingredient would have to soak for ten hours until it could be added. So until then they had to hope Regina's body fought the effects of her heart being drained without magical aid.

By five in the afternoon Snow had been sat at the brunette's side reading Milton's 'Paradise Lost' out loud for about an hour in the hope that Regina could hear her familiar voice and take comfort in it. After experiencing a sleeping potion herself Sow was doubtful it would work but she felt the need to do something.

Rumpel, who had been sat in the living area with Henry reading some sort of spell book came back in at five to check Regina's temperature yet again. However this time, unlike the previous times he shook his head and clicked his tongue indicating something was wrong.

"What is it?" Snow asked him as she placed a bookmark in the page she was on and placed the book down.

"Her temperature is starting to rise" Rumpel admitted as he went through the process of cleaning and restoring the thermometer again.

"We need to treat the symptoms. Her body will start to fever so we must endeavour to keep the fever down. I suggest we all wrap up warm and open the windows so she can get some cool fresh air. Make sure she keeps the blankets on but use damp cloths to try and lower the temperature."

Snow climbed to her feet as quickly as possible for a heavily pregnant woman and headed towards the living area of the apartment. Meanwhile Rumpel opened one of the large bedroom windows. Henry was still sat on the sofa reading the book. He had literally only stopped all day to eat, get a drink for him-self or go the toilet.

"Henry did you here that" Snow called across the room, "put your jumper back on and wrap the throw around you."

She knew he had heard her when he placed the book down and picked his jumper up from the other end of the sofa. Snow headed into the bathroom and found a couple of clean flannel cloth's that would be suitable to use on Regina. The former Evil Queen probably wouldn't appreciate the pastel pink colour of them if she was conscious but as it stood the brunette wouldn't know a thing about it.

After finding the cloth's Snow turned her attention to the kitchen. She routed around the cupboard until she found one of her large mixing bowls and began to fill it with cool water.

Once she'd filled it to about half way Snow turned the tap off and placed the bowl on the work surface. When she looked up she found that Henry was stood on the other side of the counter holding his book out to her. The page contained an illustration of Regina stood in front of her carriage dressed all in black bar a billowing purple cloak.

"I've been reading this book and I can't find one good thing about the person who is meant to have brought me up. I've spent time with her though…here…as the Mayor…as a friend of my moms. She was nice and friendly and kind."

_Oh god_ Snow thought to herself, this was a really serious conversation he wanted to have with her and she did not want to mess this up. She was sure if she did then when Emma returned she would feel her daughter's wrath.

"Henry…" she managed to say his name before pausing. She wasn't sure how an earth to go about this conversation but luckily the boy gave her something to latch on to.

"My mom said that she is more than the book?" he asked desperately. His eyes implored her for answers and she took a deep breath before trying to give him some.

"Things happened back in the Enchanted Forest that shaped and changed us all" she explained, "here in Storybrooke we have found the chance to start again. You were the reason for Regina to turn her life around. I know right now it must be strange to hear but she loves you very much."

Henry's brow crinkled as he obviously thought deeply about her words but then he surprised Snow by placing the book down on the counter and picking up the bowl. She followed him through to the bedroom carrying the cloths and he placed the bowl down on the bedside table before retreating to the armchair furthest away from the bed. Rumpel, who had obviously overheard the conversation in the kitchen, headed back into the other part of the apartment to give them some privacy.

"Can you tell me about her?" Henry asked as Snow settled down in the chair right next to Regina's bed. She dampened one cloth in the water and laid it across the unconscious woman's brow. Her actions gave her a little time to compose her answer.

"I honestly don't know much about her early years Henry but how about we start with the first time Regina and I met?" Snow offered.

Henry nodded his head in response and brought his legs up onto the armchair so they were tucked underneath him. He pulled one of the fleece blankets around his shoulders; obviously ready to settle down and listen to some stories. Once he looked comfortable Snow began the tale of that first meeting.

"I was still a young girl, mourning the loss of a mother who meant the world to me. One day I was travelling with my father and some of his subjects when the horse I was riding ran off with me. It was galloping and I couldn't stop. I was so scared so I screamed and screamed. Then a young woman who had seen I was in trouble came galloping up alongside me and pulled me onto her horse. That woman…well she was Regina."

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**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

Hook had been correct when he said they would reach the town before it went dark. He had led them to the local Inn where their horses had been stabled and they had been assigned two rooms. Now they were sat in the Inn with a jug sized portion of real ale each and a meal of roast pork and potatoes. The food was dry and plain and the ale was strong but it was better than nothing.

Conversation had been minimal between the two of them since there brief talk at lunch time. They had ridden in silence for the rest of the day and they were now eating in silence. So it surprised Emma when Hook suddenly grasped her wrist and spoke to her.

"Listen Swan try not to overreact about this but the Robin Hood of the past has just walked in."

Emma turned in her seat to see Robin and a couple of other men she didn't recognise standing by the bar. The outlaw was several years younger and more carefree looking than the man that now resided in Storybrooke with them.

In truth she was angry with the man she saw before her even though she knew it was irrational. This man had done nothing wrong yet and Emma knew more than anyone that life shaped people and their actions. Something had drove Robin Hood, the man who legendarily stole from the rich and gave to the poor, to help the Witch.

"You okay?" Hook asked as she observed the other man by the bar.

Robin and his friends made their way to a free table and sat down. Once the outlaw was comfortably sat on the stool he removed his coat and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up. His lion tattoo was prominent even across the room and it reminded Emma of the conversation she had with Regina before she had taken the sleeping curse. The blond wasn't sure why learning that a man with a lion tattoo was fated to be Regina's true love bothered her so much. It filled her with the same tense and anxious feeling she had gotten when she saw Robin kiss the brunette outside Granny's. It was that feeling that felt a lot like jealousy.

"Yeah…actually I think I might try to talk to him" Emma replied, not even turning back to look at the Pirate.

"I doubt very much he can help us in this time Swan" Hook remarked. The man tugged on her arm so she turned to look at him again. She could see the nervous look in his eyes and she knew he feared she would do something drastic and cause a scene. Emma smiled reassuringly at him as she genuinely did just want to ask the outlaw a question.

"Wait here" she instructed the Pirate before getting up and leaving him sat at the table with no time to protest.

There was a space next to Robin available on the bench on which he was sat. Emma approached the table slowly and sat in the space so she was facing away from the table and the two friends opposite Robin.

"Hey" she directly greeted the outlaw. He put his drink down and sat up, nodding politely at her even though he was clearly confused by her sudden presence. "I'm sorry to bother you but I was wondering if I could ask you about your tattoo?"

He looked down at his own right arm and the large black lion tattoo.

"What about it?" he asked.

"I met someone else with an identical one once and it seems odd that two people should have such a distinctive design on the same arm" Emma explained. It was true enough for her story to be convincing.

"There a few other men like myself out there who have this mark but our numbers are dwindling" Robin replied solemnly. His answer gave little away but Emma pressed on.

"Men like you?" she enquired, trying to sound as innocent and girly as possible even though it made her feel like vomiting.

Robin glanced at his companions before bringing his leg over the bench and shuffling so he was sat facing the same way as her.

"Have you ever heard of the Panthera?" the outlaw asked, keeping his voice low. When she shook her head he sighed and continued. "They were an elite royal guard whose sole purpose was to protect the family of the King no matter what the cost. They were made up of the bravest and most noble born knights in the Kingdom. To earn the right to be one of these Knights a man must do something brave, selfless and honourable."

So Robin had been a royal Knight she mused and not just any old Knight. How had this man who by his own description must have been of noble birth ended up living rough in a forest with a band of outlaws? He was probably a man with an interesting story to tell but she was still far more interested in the mark he bore. It was a mark that looked incredibly similar to something she'd seen in a picture in Henry's precious book.

"The lion is the royal crest right?" Emma asked. When Robin looked at her suspiciously she felt the need to explain her ignorance. "I'm not from around here."

Robin reached behind him and grabbed his pot of ale. He took several deep swigs before placing the ale back down on the table.

"It was the original royal crest yes although the crest was altered when King Leopold married his first wife the Queen Ava" the outlaw explained. "The lion represents the warrior but the new crest also contains the flowers which represent peace and diplomacy. On the new crest the layout is significant…the lion is at the bottom and the flower at the top. It symbolises that although it is a kingdom of Warriors it is a peaceful kingdom which strives for peaceful settlements over war."

Emma had never had much time for the meaning of signs and symbols. The most exposure she had ever had to the field was watching the Da Vinci Code. However she understood how powerful the imagery on something like a royal crest could be. It was intriguing that Regina's supposed true love should not only bare the symbol of Snow White's family crest but also have been a guard who had possibly once been charged with guarding her. Irony just didn't cover it. It was nearly as ironic as the Saviour and the Evil Queen. Not that it was worth thinking about the possibility now she had lost the brunette. She would drive herself mad.

"And all these Panthera Knights were branded?" Emma enquired, redirecting her mind with some difficulty back to the present…or technically the past.

"Oh no" Robin chuckled as he corrected her, "this is no mortal mark. There was a spell cast by a Wizard from long ago which branded these Knight's upon their brave action."

Emma was totally taken off guard by the outlaw's explanation. It had surprised her enough to think that each soldier had been chosen and then given a tattoo to demarcate them as special but a magical mark well that was quite something else. There was probably a long and interesting story to be told about the initiation of the Knights and the Wizard Robin mentioned but Emma didn't have time for a history lesson. One thing she was curious about though was why Robin was no longer a member of this elite order.

"You speak of these Knight's in the past tense" Emma commented. "What happened to them?"

"They were disbanded several years ago by King Leopold" Robin replied. "It was said he feared the influence and power of these knights especially as magic chose these men not his royal highness. It's crazy if you ask me because now there are only average soldiers guarding the family and the citadel."

"Seriously?! You mean he has the same soldiers guarding him as he does patrolling this forest?" Emma exclaimed. "That is crazy."

When the outlaw nodded at her statement a plan started to form quickly in Emma's mind. If she wanted to prevent Zelena getting to Snow White then Emma needed to get close enough to her mother to protect her.

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**The Enchanted Forest - Hook POV**

Hook had sat patiently and waited for Emma to return to the table like she had ordered. Her conversation with the outlaw baffled him especially as it seemed so civil.

"What was that all about?" Hook asked as Emma took her seat opposite him again. She began to tuck into the remaining food on her plate even though it was most definitely cold by now.

"His tattoo" Emma replied between mouthfuls of cold potato.

Hook looked at the blond blankly. No matter how much he racked his brains he couldn't think of a reason why the outlaw's body art could be of any significance to them. She'd have to explain that one to him.

"And how exactly is Robin Hood's tattoo going to help us love?" he drawled.

The blond looked up at him and finished chewing her mouthful of food. Once her mouth was clear she smirked.

"It isn't" she stated.

Hook knew he must look completely dumbfounded because that is exactly how he felt. If there was no purpose to her actions then why did she go sit and talk to Robin. Unless the tattoo was in some way significant and she was hiding something from him. Hook didn't like that idea one little bit.

Suddenly Emma stopped devouring her cold food and put her cutlery down. Her eye line was drawn across the room again and when Hood looked in the same direction he found she was staring at the table where Robin was sat again.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, unable to hide his irritation in the blonde's new found interest in bloody Robin Hood.

"Can't you see that green light?" Emma muttered, her eyes never leaving the outlaw stood across the room to them.

_Wonderful_, Hook thought. _Now she thinks the outlaw has a bloody halo or something_. He knew something was stopping Emma from being with him but he didn't expect it to be someone; especially not some tree hugging forest inhibiting double crossing ponce.

It was only when Hook snuck another glance at the blond then he realised she was totally serious and actually quite concerned about something. Emma could see something magical that was hidden from the common man.

"What green light?" he asked the blond. "What can you see?"

The blonde's face shifted from confusion, to understanding and then a small smile appeared on her features.

"Pixie dust!" Emma suddenly exclaimed. The blond leapt up suddenly, her knees bashing into the table causing Hook to jump. Then before Hook had a chance to ask what the hell was going on Emma was dashing towards the door of the Inn. It took him several seconds to take in what had happened before he downed the last of his ale and followed Emma out at a more sedate pace.


	11. Chapter 11

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 11**

**Storybrooke - Henry POV**

"Peter Pan must have wondered what the hell hit him. I think he was convinced if there was anyone his tree would contain it would be Regina. Yet there she was announcing she wouldn't change a thing because her choices, as terrible as some of them have been, had led her to you."

Henry had remained curled up on the armchair listening to Mary Margaret's stories about the woman he had apparently lived with for over ten years. Some of the stories had been hard to listen too as they didn't portray the Mayor very kindly but many of the stories about their time in Storybrooke and in Neverland were a lot more positive. Mary Margaret was certainly giving him the impression that Regina loved him very much even if she hadn't always shown it very well.

It was still hard to take in all the fairy tale stuff but it did explain why everyone had been so strange since he had arrived. They had all known him even though they had tried to act otherwise and his mom, Mary Margaret and David's close relationship made far more sense now. It also explained the Mayor's strange reaction to him on the first day he saw her in Granny's as was her comment at the duck pond about him one day having more family then he would know what to do with. He was practically related to half the town and even there were some he wasn't related to by blood but was strongly connected to like the Dwarves and Little Red Riding Hood.

"Then just like that Regina broke free from the bonds and ripped out your heart from..."

Just as Mary Margaret had arrived at a really interesting point in her latest story she stopped. Henry, who had closed his eyes whilst listening to her tale, opened his eyes to see what was wrong. The Mayor, Regina, was visibly shaking and her body twitched several times before settling again.

"Gold!" Mary Margaret called out, her voice laced with panic.

Mr Gold was with Belle in the kitchen area helping to prepare an evening meal for everyone but when he heard the panicked shout he came hobbling into the bedroom area. David, who had been setting the table, followed him in and came to stand by his wife's side. Mr Gold ran his hand over Regina, a red magical hue emanating from his hand. The older man looked concerned as he gazed down at the Mayor.

"Her condition is worsening" Mr Gold said with a frown. "Perhaps we should ring the hospital and have them bring around an IV so we can get some fluids into her. During a normal sleeping curse one's body is kept in stasis so eating and drinking is unnecessary. However other forces are at play here and her fever is causing her to sweat."

It was weird to think of science being used to try and slow down magic. In the children's books Henry had read then magic was always made out to sound all powerful yet here was a powerful magician suggesting they call for medical help.

"I'll ring them" David was the first to reply. The man Henry now knew as one of his granddad's disappeared back into the living space to make the call.

Mary Margaret rose awkwardly to her feet and picked up the mixing bowl of water they had been using to try and lower the Mayor's temperature.

"I'm going to refill this with cold water" the woman stated before following her husband from the bedroom.

The disappearance of David and Mary Margaret left Henry and Mr Gold alone with the Mayor. For the first time since his mother had revealed to him the extent of his previous relationship with the brunette Henry dared to approach her unconscious form. It was gradually feeling more real to him now that he had skim read a lot of the book, listened to Mary Margaret's stories, heard David explain about how he had helped return Robin Hood's heart today and watched Rumpelstiltskin perform magic.

Henry approached the bed and stood at the opposite side to Mr Gold who was lost deep in concentration as he studied the Mayor's still form. This man was one of Henry's grandparents and father to the dad Henry may never be able remember. Henry found that fact upsetting but he knew Mr Gold must be hurting more knowing his son had died for him.

"I'm sorry you lost your son" Henry said sincerely.

The grey haired man looked up at him in surprise before his expression turned to a soft but sad smile.

"Thank you Henry...I'm sorry you don't remember him" Mr Gold replied. "Although once we have solved this particular problem I think I can help bring your memories back if you would like that?"

"You can help me remember?" Henry instantly felt excitement bubbling up inside of him although he tried to remain calm. "I'd be able to remember her?"

As he spoke he looked down at the shaking woman lying on the bed and wrapped in blankets. The tales in the book should terrify him but after hearing Mary Margaret's stories and having spent time with Regina since being in Storybrooke Henry really wanted the chance to remember his past with her. In his memories it had always just been him and Emma but he wanted a family. He also felt a pull towards the brunette and wanted her to have her happiness back. It was nice to be told that he was so important to someone.

"Yes Henry, I can" Gold finally replied.

Just as Mr Gold answered Mary Margaret re-appeared with the mixing bowl of water and some fresh flannels.

"Here we go" she said as she stepped between Henry and the bed, placing the bowl down on the bedside table. She went to pull the armchair she had previously vacated back to the bed so she could start dabbing Regina's forehead again but Henry reached out to stop her.

"I want to do it" he stated. As he spoke he pressed through the small gap between Snow and the bedside table and began to soak one of the flannels in the bowl.

"Henry I don't think..." Mary Margaret started to protest but he cut her off as politely as possible.

"She's my mom" he said determinedly, "It should be me."

The pregnant woman didn't protest again but he had to look away to avoid her worried eyes. He turned his focus to wringing out the flannel so it was just damp and climbed onto the bed next to the Mayor. He had never had to nurse anyone before but he had watched Mary Margaret dab Regina's forehead at various intervals all evening. So after brushing some of the brunette's hair which had strayed back onto her forehead away he reached out and began to gently dab her heated skin.

The two adults stood and watched him for a short while before backing out the room and giving him some space. He could hear their hushed chatter from the next room.

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**Storybrooke - Gold POV**

"I don't think we should encourage this" Charming declared the second they joined him in the living area. "There is every chance that Regina could die and Henry will be left heartbroken that he has lost yet another parent he can't remember."

Rumpel glanced back towards the direction of the bed where Henry sat nursing the former Evil Queen. He understood why the Prince wanted to protect the boy but unless he planned on wiping two days worth of Henry's memories there was no going back now.

"It's too late now he already knows" Snow argued. "And now he does know at least if all goes wrong he will feel like he has had some kind of relationship with Regina however minimal."

It appeared that he and Snow White were of a similar mindset. Henry may not remember Regina right now but if they returned his memories to him at least he would know he had done everything he could to help care for her no matter what the outcome. It would hurt Henry more if he had sat in another room and never even said goodbye.

"I'm just worried..." Charming muttered. It was clear he was going to protest further once he'd thought of an argument so Rumpel decided to weigh in to the discussion of the side of Charming's wife.

"We are all worried about Henry" he pointed out, "but he's a clever boy and he can make his own choices."

Charming and Snow looked surprised that he had spoke up. In the past he had never felt like he had the right to get truly involved in his grandson's upbringing but he felt like he had earned the right after Neverland to be his granddad. So Rumpel ignored their surprised expressions and ploughed on with his argument.

"I agree with your wife. He knows the truth now and there is no going back from that. At least he feels he is doing something to help and in all honesty I have no idea how much of her current environment Regina is able to take in. If she can hear or sense anything then having Henry close could give her the strength she needs to fight."

Snow White had nodded along to all his points as he spoke but her husband looked less than impressed at Rumpel voicing an opinion.

"I didn't ask you" the infuriating Prince dismissed him instantly.

Rumpel was determined not to back down. He had lost Bae but he wasn't losing the right to be an important part of Bae's son's life.

"I have as much right as you to discuss and make decisions involving our grandson" he declared firmly. He again caught Snow and Charming by surprise but this time Snow's look was followed by a smile. The Prince looked between the two of them before nodding his head.

"Okay you're right" Charming agreed slowly. "If you both think it's for the best then I'll support your decision."

Rumpel was surprised by Charming's concession but very pleased. When he glanced across towards Belle who was serving up their meal she smiled encouragingly at him with a glint of pride in her eyes.

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**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

When Emma had first seen the trail of magic that wound its way into the Inn and zeroed in on Robin Hood's lion tattoo she had instantly suspected the Wicked Witch because of the green hue the magic contained. After a couple of seconds of thought she had realised there was another person she knew who's magic was green and that was Tinkerbell.

It was amazing that Emma had stumbled into the exact Inn at the exact same time Tinkerbell was using her stolen fairy dust to find Regina's true love. Of course if Tink was out there then so was Regina and that thought instantly brought Emma to her feet. The brunette was probably out there right now.

Emma's feet seemed to work faster than her brain and she tore out of the Inn and into the street only to find it empty apart from the slight sound of scurrying from around the corner. It had taken her too long to figure out and Regina had already chickened out and left.

The door to the Inn was flung open again behind her and Hook joined her in the street.

"What the hell Swan?!" he exclaimed, looking utterly un-amused by her strange behaviour. She was tempted not to answer him but then if she ignored him he would think she was going mad. If she was to save her mother and their future then she needed him on side and not doubting her sanity.

"Regina told me that Tinkerbelle led her to her true love using pixie dust" Emma explained. "It led them to an Inn where she saw a man with a lion tattoo. She must have already run away before I got out here though."

Hook looked at her like she had grown another head. She didn't expect him to understand her desire to see a younger Regina in the flesh. Emma didn't fully understand the sudden need herself so if she didn't get it then how could he.

"That's what all of that was about in there with Robin Hood? You were asking the Queen's true love twenty Questions?" Hook asked his tone exasperated. He threw his hand and hook up in the air in a clear sign of frustration with her. Not that she could see what is problem was.

"She must be nearby still" Emma continued, ignoring Hook's question as she began to walk in the direction she had heard someone moving.

She didn't get very far before Hook grasped her shoulder and pulled her roughly to a halt. When she didn't turn to look at him he stepped around her so they were face to face. His hand remained on her shoulder, preventing her walking away again unless she wanted to wrestle with him.

"Emma what are you doing?" He asked gently. "What would you have said if she was still stood out here? She doesn't know you here and if you do meet her here then what happens if she recognises you in…however many years…when you turn up in Storybrooke?"

Emma knew he was right. She had charged out into the street with her cloak hood down and completely exposed. There was every chance that even if Emma succeeded in stopping Zelena from changing the future then she would have affected the future anyway. If Regina had recognised her in the future, when Emma turned up with Henry on the night of her twenty eighth birthday, then there could have been trouble. No doubt Regina would have gone to Gold for answers and realised that it meant she would indeed break the curse. The brunette would probably change tactics from just butting heads with Emma to outright murdering her.

"I don't know" she finally admitted to the Pirate.

When he saw that her demeanour had shifted from determined to defeated he released the grip on her shoulder whilst leaving his hand resting there.

"You need to stop and think Swan" Killian instructed kindly.

The problem was when Emma did stop and think her mind wandered to the woman she had last seen lying unconscious in her parents apartment. Despite all there fights and disagreements and despite the knowledge of Regina's past Emma still couldn't stop herself from caring about the brunette's fate. It was hurting her. It was hurting as much as the loss of Neal if not more so. She had been able to cry and mourn Henry's father but right now in the knowledge that Regina was gone Emma just felt utterly numb from the pain. So numb it had taken her all day to finally understand that's what she was feeling.

"You said she was probably dead" Emma mumbled.

Hook dropped his hand to his side and tilted his head to observe her. Now Emma was trying to talk about Regina she felt the pain keenly and she had to fight back the tears that threatened to erupt.

"Even if we succeed then Regina is probably already dead" Emma repeated before going on to try and explain herself. "I just…I didn't get to really say goodbye and I had only just started to get to know the woman underneath the mask of the Evil Queen. I just thought that if I could talk to her here and see how she was then it would be a fitting farewell. I just need the chance to say goodbye."

Emma turned away as she spoke of wanting the chance to say goodbye to give herself some space. She had got through her explanation without crying but her own words had been a revelation to herself. She, Emma Swan, had been jealous of Robin Hood when he had kissed Regina. She was jealous he could be the other woman's true love. She was jealous because the idea of Robin and his cute little son threatened Emma's idea of her perfect little family. She was jealous because somewhere deep inside she had thought if anyone would sweep Regina of her feet it would be her. She was jealous because she wanted Regina, Henry and herself to be a real family. She was devastated because that was no longer possible. Somehow that feeling had snuck up on her and hit her like a truck just when it was too late.

"Why did you turn down my marriage proposal?" Hook suddenly asked. Emma wanted to shout at him for making this conversation about him but she didn't have the energy to argue about it at this moment in time. She had already given too much of her heart away to him during this conversation and she didn't want to reveal any more when she was still struggling with its contents.

"I've told you why" she dismissed his question. The blond hoped that if she remained with her back to him then he would take the hint and leave the conversation alone at least for tonight. She had no such luck. The Pirate repeated his earlier actions and stepped around her so they were face to face again only this time with a more respectful distance between them.

"No I think you only told me a half truth" he pried. "Tell me Swan; are you in love with Regina?"

The blond felt every muscle in her body tense at his words. She was only just realising all this for herself and she really didn't need his advice or belittlement on the matter.

"Shut up Hook" Emma warned. He went to grasp her shoulder again but she pulled back and out of reach, her temper now frayed.

"Emma…" he began to pester again but she stopped him in his tracks.

"Just SHUT UP!" she ordered him. "It has nothing to do with you so leave me alone."

To his credit the Pirate saw sense and backed right of her. He nodded his head in understanding but his face held such disappointment. Emma felt bad for him and his pitiful expression but on the other hand she was glad he would finally understand his hopes were truly dashed. Although knowing Hook he would just shrug it off and decide that Regina was dead too like Neal which left him as the best suitor still living for her.

Just as the Pirate raised his hand to gesture he was leaving the topic well alone there was a loud and panicked female shout from only a street or so away. Emma recognised the voice immediately. It was Regina and she was in trouble.

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed before reaching out and drawing Hook's sword from his scabbard. She raced off in the direction of the shout, pulling the hood of her cloak up as she went.

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	12. Chapter 12

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 12**

**Thank you to all the people that have read, reviewed, favourite or put this story on alerts so far. It all keeps me very keen to write more. This is going to be a pretty long fic. I've planned it out as much as possible and I think it's going to be around 25 chapters perhaps more. Enjoy chapter 12...it's young Regina time...**

**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

Emma was vaguely aware of Hook following her as she ran down the street but he seemed to drop away from her as she rounded the corner. She came face to face with two rather drunk and lecherous looking men who had a young brunette in their grasp. The brunette was in a long white flowing dress and if it wasn't for the fact Emma already knew it was Regina she would have had to do a double take to recognise her.

"Let her go" Emma instructed, holding the sword out in front of her so they could see her clear threat.

Both men released the young brunette but remained standing between the two women. One of the men stepped forward and tried to leer at her. She wasn't sure what an earth he thought he was looking at considering her body was covered by a hideous sack dress and her face was largely covered by the hooded cloak she was wearing.

"You know what to do with that girl?" he slurred before suddenly jumping at her.

The blond sidestepped his attack and swung the sword round making sure to catch the back of his thigh. It left a nasty gash there causing the man to stumble, fall and cry out in pain. Without waiting another second Emma swung around again and brought the sword so the point was an inch away from the other man's face.

"Your move" Emma growled menacingly.

This second drunken man looked unwilling to repeat the same mistake as the first and backed away slowly, raising his hands to indicate he was giving in. When he reached his friend he pulled him to his feet and the two of them stumbled away.

Emma watched them go, her back partially to the woman she rescued. Once they were out of sight she turned to the brunette who stood nervously in the middle of the street still. She looked different from the Regina of Storybrooke. Her hair was a good deal longer, she was several years younger and the pure white dress gave her a far more angelic look than the Mayor's power suites and designer clothing. There was no outward hint of the darkness to come. Emma was almost disappointed that she wasn't going to get a view of Regina in the Evil Queen outfits she had seen in Henry's book.

"Are you alright?" she asked the shaken looking brunette.

"Yes thanks to you" the young Regina replied as she eyed Emma nervously, "unless you are also a threat to me?"

The blond realised she still had Hook's sword in her raised hand which must indeed appear threatening. Emma dropped her hand down so the sword hung limply at her side and she reached out to the brunette with her left hand.

"You are safe with me" she promised. Regina looked at the outstretched hand but was visibly conflicted. Emma couldn't help but smile at the adorable worry lines on the brunette's face. It was an expression Emma was familiar with having seen it many times in Neverland whilst searching for their son.

"You keep your faces hidden" the brunette pointed out. "Are you outlaws?"

Emma looked back over her shoulder to find that Hook was now stood a few feet behind her in the shadows. Or at least she presumed it was him as the figure was the right height and build. Apparently he had stopped to steal someone's cloak on route so he now had his face largely covered by a hood.

"We are travellers through this land" Emma assured Regina, "but our secrecy is imperative."

As the blond spoke the pirate made his way into the middle of the street so he was stood to the side of her. He reached out and took his sword back, replacing it in its sheaf. Regina seemed more confident now he was no longer lurking in the shadows.

"You saved me from those men so I will not speak of our meeting to anyone" the young brunette promised.

"You are a distance away from your Palace you Majesty" Hook joined the conversation. "How do you intend to return home?"

"I..." the young Regina stuttered nervously, "I did not expect to be recognised."

Emma threw a sideways glare at the Pirate for putting the brunette on edge again after she'd only just reassured the young Regina that they meant her no harm. They were claiming no familiarity with Regina or the kingdom yet Hook had just given away the fact they knew who she was. The blond needed to think on her feet and explain this and quickly.

"The Kingdom is abuzz of talk about the Kings new young and beautiful wife" Emma stated, her tone a little more reverent than she had meant it to sound. "Many say you are the fairest in the land."

She just caught sight of Hook rolling his eyes and turning away out of the corner of her eye. After trying to deny so vigorously to him that she had feelings for Regina before she was doing a poor job pretending otherwise now.

"Thank you but I am reliably told that honour falls to his insipid daughter" Regina replied, matching the pirates eye roll with one of her own.

Emma knew that if Regina was married to Leopold then Daniel was already gone. She wasn't sure how she had pictured the deterioration of Regina and Snow's relationship from that point onwards or if she'd ever really thought about it. In her head she supposed she had just presumed it had flipped from one extreme to another but apparently that wasn't the case. Regina's tone suggested a little dislike towards the Princess but there was still an underlying fondness there too. There was no vengeance fuelled rage present yet.

"How DO you intend to return to the castle?" Hook asked again, breaking the silence that had fallen over them as Emma's thoughts ran off with her. The brunette shrugged just like any typical teenager would.

"If I start walking now I should be there before sunrise" she replied.

Emma looked at the young Regina in horror. They were still some distance away from the palace and after having to save the brunette once she didn't like the idea of just letting her roam the countryside on her own. Emma was sure Regina was having magic lessons by now with Rumpelstiltskin but clearly the brunette wasn't confident enough or able to use it on the two drunken idiots. There was no way Emma was going to let her walk on her own even if their future shows that Regina will arrive home safely.

"I think I would be failing in my civic duty if I allowed the Queen to walk alone after nightfall" Emma said gallantly. She smirked when Regina smiled and blushed at her in response. Apparently teenage Regina was receptive to a bit of flirtation.

"Fetch our horses" Emma ordered Hook. She angled her body away from Regina so the brunette wouldn't see her magic some more gold coins out of thin air. "You better purchase another too I think."

He rolled his eyes at her yet again as he accepted the coins. She hadn't meant to sound quite so demanding; a please probably wouldn't have gone amiss.

"Sure you don't want to share with her" Hook muttered under his breath so only Emma and not Regina could hear him. The blond gave him a sharp glare but he merely bowed sarcastically in response and began to march back towards the Inn.

When Emma turned back towards the brunette she found that the young Regina was looking at her with a mixture of awe and confusion. For a horrible second Emma though Regina may have seen her magic trick but when the brunette spoke Emma's fears were alleviated.

"You are of Royal blood?" the young Queen asked.

"Pardon?" Emma responded. The brunette's question had caught her by surprise.

The two started to walk back slowly towards the Inn. Hopefully by the time they had reached the stables next door then Hook would have the three horses tacked up.

"He followed your commands like a knight would his master" Regina explained her observation as they walked side by side. Emma had never considered herself regal and was about as un-princess like as she could possibly be. However it was quite astute of Regina to notice her authority over their male travel companion. She could hardly tell the brunette it was half because she was the saviour and half because he followed her around like a kicked puppy.

"I suppose I am by birth" Emma finally replied. "I never think of myself as such."

Regina ambled alongside her in silence again until they reached the stables by the Inn. Emma was about to step inside and hurry Hook up when the brunette reached out and grasped her arm. Emma turned towards the young Regina and found herself looking into young and vulnerable brown eyes.

"Why are you doing this for me?" the brunette asked. "People don't usually go out of their way to help me."

Emma wondered what Regina's life would have been like if people had reached out for her. What kind of person would Regina have been if Cora had been a loving mother? Would she just be an older version of the girl Emma could now see before her? Without the loss of Daniel, without Rumpelstiltskin pushing her down the darkest paths who would Regina have been? Would she have had children of her own and found happiness?

"Well one good deed usually leads to another" Emma replied quietly, still deep in thought. "Perhaps one day you will return the favour."

If Emma succeeded then one day the brunette was going to repay the favour with interest. She was going to be the woman that brought up and loved Henry. She was going to die at the hand of a half sister she didn't even know she had.

Just as Emma's mind ventured into dark places there was the distinctive clip clop sound of horses approaching from the stables behind. She turned to find Hook approaching with her horse Thunder and a grey horse he must have just acquired for Regina.

"Your steeds await you" Hook announced dramatically, bowing his head as he spoke.

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**Storybrooke - Charming POV**

Sudden loud music caused Charming to jerk awake. Snow shifted and groaned beside him as he felt around on the bedside table for his mobile phone. The bed and the room was unfamiliar to him as it was Emma's room not his and his wife's. The unconscious Regina was downstairs in their bed so they were forced into using the upstairs loft room instead.

They had managed to settle Henry to sleep on the sofa after he had sat with Regina for a couple of hours. Gold and Belle had gone home to sleep for four hours whilst Snow and Charming kept an eye on Regina. Then at three in the morning they had swapped over again and he and his wife had gone to bed upstairs whilst Gold and Belle watched over Regina. As the alarm clock by the bed read 5.30am it meant that Charming had only had two hours sleep.

Finally Charming found the vibrating phone and answered it without looking who was calling. It had to be important if someone was ringing his so early in the morning.

"David" he greeted, resting the phone against his ear as he remained slumped in bed.

"Hey it's Ruby" the familiar voice of the waitress and Deputy greeted back. "You need to get down to the main street right now."

David sat up in the bed and rubbed his face roughly with his hand. He was bleary eyes and dazed from so little sleep.

"What's going on?" he asked, trying to stifle a yawn but failing miserably.

"We have a flying monkey attack" Ruby replied, her voice deadly serious, "they are literally swarming the place."

That did not sound good. Ever since they had discovered the flying monkeys were people from Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest who the Witch had cursed he had dreaded an attack from the creatures. How do you deal with crazy vicious flying monkeys without possibly hurting or killing them?

"Shit okay I'm on my way" he replied after a slight delay. He didn't bother waiting for her to reply before ending the call.

He rolled of the bed and onto his feet. Snow had brought a loud of clothes upstairs for them during the day so he headed straight towards his pile and grabbed the first pair of jeans available and started throwing them on over his boxers.

"What's wrong?" his wife asked sleepily from the bed. It was dark but she would be able to hear that he was getting dressed.

"Zelena's monkeys are rampaging around the town in her absence apparently" Charming explained as he finished fastening his jeans. He grasped the first t-shirt and jumper in the pile without caring if they matched and started putting them on.

"I'll come with you" Snow said as she slowly and awkwardly shifted of the bed and came to stand in front of him.

Usually he would like nothing more than for his wife to fight at his side especially as she was such a good shot with the long bow. However she could go into birth any day now and that would certainly distract him in a fight.

"Nooooo you won't" he chuckled, guiding he back towards the bed. "My pregnant wife is staying right here. I'll ring you if we need Gold to come work some magic on them."

Snow sat down on the edge of the bed and sulked but the fact she wasn't verbally protesting was evidence enough for him that his wife knew he was right. He dropped a kiss on her forehead before grabbing a pair of socks, his sword and his gun belt.

He managed to hop down the stairs whilst putting his socks on and grabbed his coat and shoes from by the door. Just as he was about to leave Belle stuck her head into the living space of the apartment.

"Everything okay?" the woman asked when she caught sight of him by the door.

"Monkey attack" Charming replied simply before changing the topic. "How is Regina?"

Belle glanced over to the sofa where Henry was sleeping. He looked dead to the world so she answered David's question.

"Not good" she admitted with a shake of her head.

There wasn't much he could say to that so he just nodded his head. He hoped Emma was closing in on Zelena or it would be too late for Henry's adoptive mother.

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**Please review! Feedback makes me happy! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 13**

**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

They had been riding for well over an hour in comfortable silence. Hook led the way and Emma and the young Regina were ridding side by side behind him. During the first part of their ride Regina had chattered to Emma about fairly idle stuff like her love of horses and the fact she had never even travelled out this realm. After a while the conversation had died down as their energy levels dropped. The brunette looked as tired as Emma felt and every time she glanced across at the young woman she could tell Regina was struggling to keep her eyes open. It was probably lucky that Regina was so sleepy because otherwise she would have probably noticed Emma staring at her throughout most of the quiet ride.

The blond was having an epiphany during this unscheduled trip to the past. It was one she really wished she could avoid having as it was a bit like torturing herself. How had she not managed to put all the pieces together before and realise how much she actually did care about Regina? She had recognised individual feeling like attraction and jealousy for what they were but had underestimated their importance. Now when she was faced with the loss of the brunette it felt like it was stifling her every breath and the feeling was only getting stronger. She had heard the quote 'it's better to have loved and lost than not loved at all' but how did it work when you have lost what you have only just realised you may actually love.

All the times they had fought and stepped into each other's personal space, all the times they had purposely wound each other up and every dry remark and hurtful word had been a bit like twisted foreplay for them. Emma had loved to loath Regina in the early days because she was a challenge and it made the blond feel more alive in years. Recently that fiery animosity had caved in and become a shaky friendship based on their shared love of their son and the strange trust that had developed between them. Now every small moment of intimacy when the walls dropped made Emma's heart race that bit quicker. Looking at it with hindsight and objectivity it was obvious what she had been feeling for quite some while.

"We are nearly at the edge of the forest" the young Regina's voice broke into Emma's thoughts.

If they were nearly at the edge of the forest then it was time to say goodbye to this young Regina. It was going to be painfully difficult knowing it would probably be goodbye forever. Emma shook the thought away and tried to make conversation again. At least conversation may distract her from her thoughts.

"So do you often sneak out the Palace at night?" she asked the young Queen.

"I wish" The brunette glanced across at her and smiled. "The King has been away with his daughter but he returns in a few hours so there will be no more creeping out for a while."

That was interesting news. Emma had wondered why Zelena was yet to make her move on Snow White but if she wasn't currently in the kingdom then that explained it. If that was the case time was running out.

"I never wanted to be the Queen" Regina stated wistfully.

Emma's head snapped around to the young brunette so fast one of her tendon's clicked painfully. In all the time the blond had known Regina she seemed to revel in the power of being the Queen or the Mayor.

"No?" Emma inquired. This was what she'd wanted for a long time; the chance to understand Regina. She only wished it was a conversation she could have had with the older Regina.

"No my mother wanted it for me" Regina admitted, "and now I am trapped in a loveless marriage with an old man."

Emma noticed the look of disgust that crept over the young woman's face as she spoke. Emma wasn't really sure what the age difference was but considering the minimal age difference between Regina and Snow then Leopold was probably old enough to be Regina's father. As his wife Regina probably had to have sex with him. That thought was utterly gross especially as she clearly didn't want a physical relationship with him.

"I feel like my entire future has been taken away from me" Regina continued.

The brunette tilted her head and sighed. Emma could see that the young woman was holding back tears. Even as a younger more innocent teenager she was still stubborn about showing weakness in front of people.

"I can't imagine feeling like that" Emma replied softly. The brunette smiled sadly in response.

"I hope you never have to" she stated. "I wouldn't wish it upon anyone."

It was almost ironic that this was the woman who would cast a curse that ripped the futures of hundreds of people away for twenty eight years. Life had really done a number on Regina. If it wasn't for the fact it would literally change everything including Emma's own existence she would willing take Regina away from all of this right now. It would be so easy to just turn them around and ride to foreign lands were the brunette could be safe from hurt. If it wasn't for Henry then she may have been sorely tempted.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked.

Emma realised that they had all stopped at some point during her reverie. She looked around to find that they were at the edge of the forest. Up ahead in the distance she could see the Palace.

"Time to say goodbye..."

Emma's voice cracked slightly as she spoke. The other woman did not understand how much of a goodbye this really was for the blond. Somehow she had to hold herself together so she didn't come across as being totally weird and suspicious. The brunette turned her horse so it stepped closer to Emma and Thunder.

"Be careful there will be soldiers patrolling the woods within the next couple of hours" Regina advised the blond. "They will be making sure the roads are safe for the King's return."

Emma managed to nod and smile in response but she didn't trust herself to speak. Regina reached her hand out towards her and Emma grasped it firmly. They didn't shake, Emma wasn't even sure if that was a custom here, they just kind of stayed there holding hands and staring at each other for several seconds before Regina finally released her grip.

"Thank you...both of you" she said kindly before riding away.

Emma didn't stay there long enough to see if the other woman looked back. She felt like her heart was crumbling in her chest and she knew she had to get away. The blond turned her horse and started riding back down the road the way they had came. She could hear Hook's horse clip clopping behind her as he followed on but then the sound was drowned out by her own tears.

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**Storybrooke - Charming POV**

When Ruby said the main street was under attack from flying monkeys he had pictured maybe ten of the beasts trying to attack people. When he reached the end of the main street and parked up he discovered it was more like forty flying monkeys and they were happily ripping up and smashing everything in sight. They had stripped several cars, smashed shop windows, pulled fences up and tore down sign posts.

David ran down the road, dodging between parked cars and trying not to attract the attention of any of the creatures. When he reached Granny's dinner he found Ruby and Granny stood outside. Granny had a shopping cart full of deodorant cans and lighters and was passing fresh ones to Ruby every time she ran out. Their primitive flame thrower was doing a good job at keeping the monkeys at bay without actually killing any of them. Further down the street David could see other flashes of light and he guessed the dwarves were using a similar sort of weapon to the same effect.

"Hey" Ruby greeted when she caught sight of him. "We've told the other residents to stay inside, lock their doors and arm themselves in case any of these flying critters try and smash through their windows."

Charming grabbed a can of lynx and a lighter from the trolley and started to join in. One of the flying monkeys swooped towards the diner archway but as soon as it saw the flames it swung away again and moved of further down the street.

"They seem more intent on causing destruction then attacking people" Granny shouted over all the sounds of chaos.

This didn't seem like a planned attack by the Witch. David thought it seemed more like a sign of the creatures getting anxious without their master there. If that was the case then he needed to find a way to either calm them down or completely scare them off and back to the forest.

"If they don't stop soon we are going to have to start killing the buggers" Granny shouted again.

David could see her point. There was only so much destruction and danger they could allow but he was determined to stop this without killing people. They may look like creatures now but underneath the magic they were actually human beings.

"There has to be another way" David firmly replied. Killing them had to be a final option.

"Well they don't like fire" Ruby chimed in as she swapped from an empty can to another full one.

It was hard to think in this scenario with all the banging and the smashing and the flashed of flying fur. He had to use most of his concentration to fend off the monkeys rather than think up a solution. The waitress was right, they were scared of the flames but nothing a can of deodorant could produce would be enough to scare them off for good. They needed something bigger; something that would create a really big bang and bonfire.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. "Ruby you are a genius."

He didn't get a response because another flying monkey swooped straight at them and Ruby's attention was firmly focussed on fending it away.

"I don't suppose you have a container of oil in that kitchen of yours do you Granny?" he asked the older woman who was currently ducked down behind the trolley.

"Of course what else would I fry chips in" she snapped at him. He always had a soft spot for Granny and her attitude. She was one seriously hard old lady.

"Go get it please...and a screwdriver" he instructed, ignoring the glare she shot his way before rising from her hiding place and heading back into the diner.

David looked down the street for a suitable vehicle. There were several that were now damaged beyond repair. Luckily Emma's bug was parked outside Granny's so was currently unscathed. As he stared down the street a group of men holding flaming branches appeared on to the main street. It was the Merry Men and their outlaw leader. Apparently every single one of them had come to help battle the flying simians as Robin was carrying his boy around his waist.

"Robin!" he yelled down the street. Through all the chaos the outlaw heard him and he and his men ran down the street towards him, waving the monkeys off with their primitive torches as they moved.

"We came as quickly as we could" Robin said a bit breathlessly as he came to a halt by David and Ruby. "They move a little bit faster than we do."

The outlaw's arrival was well timed as David needed some more muscle to help him with his plan. Granny arrived back at the group moments after Robin and his men and she handed David a large metal can of cooking fat and a cross head screwdriver. There was at least ten litres worth of oil in the can.

"Can you and your men help me push that car into the middle of the road?" David asked Robin. He pointed across the road to an old pick-up truck which was looking worse for wear. Robin looked confused as to why moving a car was going to help but he nodded his head in agreement regardless.

"Yes, if you don't mind watching over my boy ma'am?" the outlaw directed his question at Granny.

"Of course" Granny agreed, glancing at the oil in David's hand in understanding. "I'll take him inside so he is well out of the way."

Roland reached out and grasped Granny's hand and she led him back towards the diner. David knew she'd keep the boy safe; she had a wicked aim with that crossbow of hers.

"What are you going to do?" Ruby asked.

"I'm going to blow that car up" David explained.

He gestured for the men to follow him and they jogged after him across the road. One of the merry men was handed all the branch torches and he stayed on monkey watch. David reached into the truck through the broken driver's side window and took the handbrake off.

"Push" he instructed the five men who were stood waiting at the back of the flat bed.

As they pushed he used the wheel to guide the car into the middle of the road until they reached the intersection. It was the widest part of the road and therefore the safest place to destroy the car without it setting the surrounding buildings on fire.

"Stop" David instructed as he pulled the handbrake up and on again.

Robin grasped one of the torches back off the merry men and sent them back to where Ruby was still warding off monkeys with the homemade flame throwers.

David began covering the truck with the oil making sure to coat the front bonnet where the engine resided the most. Occasionally he had to duck the odd incoming monkey but Robin was doing a pretty good job of warding them away. Once he had ran out of oil he tossed the container to the side. Reaching back into the truck he slammed the screwdriver into the ignition. It was a trick that Emma had told him about in conversation a while back and luckily the truck was old enough for it to work. Apparently more modern cars are too high tech.

He turned the engine on and let it run for a few seconds before reaching for the torch. The outlaw handed it over but remained with him.

"You might want to start running" David advised Robin. The man had spent his entire life in the Enchanted Forest and was oblivious to quite how badly this car was going to go boom.

"I'm pretty quick on my feet" Robin assured him confidently. "I'll race you!"

_As you wish_ David thought to himself. He reached the torch out and rested it against the roof of the car. It would give them a few seconds before the flames reached the fuel and the engine. After a couple of seconds a flame caught light on the oil and began to spread, covering the roof of the car quickly.

"Run" David yelled as he dropped the torch.

The two of them started running side by side across the road and down towards Granny's diner. A monkey swooped at them but they both managed to duck and keep running without it slowing them down. David could see Ruby and the Merry Men up ahead starting to duck down so he knew the car must be fully alight by now. Just as they ducked there was an almighty bang behind them followed by an even louder one. The force of the second explosion thrust David and Robin a couple of metres forward and face down onto the tarmac.

David rolled over onto his back and looked back at the truck. It was completely destroyed other than the chassis and violent flames were licking up to the sky. When David looked up he was relieved to see that the sky was no longer infested with angry flying monkeys. It had worked.

"Well" Robin spoke up as he rolled on to his back too. "This place makes the Enchanted Forest seem quiet."

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**Authors note: Don't panic it's not the last of young Regina you'll see in this story!**

**Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, favourite etc this story Hugs!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 14**

**The Enchanted Forest – Hook POV**

Hook didn't dare say anything to his blond travel companion as rode back down the road. He wasn't sure why they were riding away from the Palace when that is where they were aiming to get to. He thought if he questioned her now though she might shoot him because she was clearly crying. Although it pained him that the tears for someone she cared about that was not him he also felt sorry for her. He understood loss better than most.

"Giving up?"

The familiar and rather unwelcome voice of the Witch rang out from behind them. Both Hook and Emma instantly swung their horses around to face her. He was surprised to find that now they were back in the Enchanted Forest the woman's face was a strange and putrid shade of green. She was still wearing the ridiculous outfit she had jumped through the portal in, only now it looked even more stereotypical due to the green skin.

"Zelena" the blond virtually growled the Witches name.

Emma remained on her horse so Hook stayed mounted too. The two of them were facing Zelena who didn't seem remotely uncomfortable with having to look up at them.

"That was all very touching back there" the Witch scoffed at Emma. She had seen the blonde's tears and now knew a weakness other than her son to press on. Hook felt the instant need to protect Emma even though she was perfectly capable of doing so herself.

"What do you want?" he asked the Witch.

"Oh I'm just killing time until Snow White returns to the Palace" Zelena replied.

Hook cringed at her use of the word 'killing'. The Witch was 'killing time' before she killed Snow. What Hook didn't understand is why Zelena would want to wait in the first place.

"Why not just kill her on the road?" he asked.

"That would be far too easy," the Witch scoffed at him. "I want to ruin Regina's life remember?"

Hook wasn't quite sure what the green woman was getting at. He understood that by killing Snow White it removed the reason for Regina to cast the curse but he couldn't see what difference it made to Regina where the Princess died. Apparently Emma was a step ahead again because she finally joined in the conversation again.

"You're going to frame her" the blond stated.

_Of course_ Hook thought. By killing Snow in the Palace it would suggest an inside job and it would be easy enough for Zelena to plant something on the body to frame the new Queen. All the stories contained evil jealous step mothers.

"Very good Saviour" the Witch sneered. "I'm going to take everything from her. Her Kingdom...her curse...her future."

If looks could kill then Emma would have destroyed Zelena on the spot. He couldn't recall ever seeing the blond quite so red faced and angry. Emma's anger only seemed to delight Zelena though and spare her on. The Witch seemed to rather like all the amateur dramatics.

"It's funny isn't it that the little creature you have just escorted home could grow to have a heart as dark as this" Zelena mocked. She removed Regina's heart from her satchel as she spoke and casually stroked her finger across it in an almost affectionate manner.

Hook had seen enchanted hearts before. He'd seen Milah's before Rumpelstiltskin crushed it and he'd seen Aurora's when he had removed it himself as a gift for Cora. Those hearts had been a glowing red but Regina's was very different. It was mainly black with patches of red glowing through and it wasn't glowing as brightly or beating as hard as the others he had seen. In a strange way it was actually quite beautiful.

"Perhaps I can think of a suitable career for her when I cast the curse" Zelena continued to try and get a rise out of Emma. The blond however seemed enraptured by the heart Zelena held in her hands. "What do you think? Should I make her my PA or...I know...sewage worker."

Emma's gaze snapped up from the heart to Zelena's face and a strange dark smile spread across the blonde's features. It wasn't the kind of smile he'd associate with the blond; it would look more at home of the Evil Queens face.

"You haven't won yet" Emma drawled at the Witch.

"How are you going to stop me?" Zelena threw back quickly before bursting into a fit of over dramatic evil laughter. "Have you figured out a way into the Palace yet? I can get in with a click of my fingers."

The Witch had a point although Hook was pretty sure Emma was capable of using magic to get into the castle too should they get desperate enough. He'd rather not become part of a brick wall if she got it completely wrong but desperate times called for desperate measures and all that.

"If you weren't worried about me Zelena you'd have never have bothered cursing Hook" the blond replied confidently. "I make you nervous...so nervous you are wasting time checking up on me rather than just executing your own plans."

Now Emma had a point too. This conversation had become quite entertaining. He was merely a casual observer to this power play. If he had a box of that popcorn stuff they had in Storybrooke to watch movies with he could have kicked back with his rum and really enjoyed himself. Apparently Emma had other plans though and no longer wanted to waste her time with this conversation.

"You can go now" she directed the Witch.

Hook expected some sort of argument but the green woman just laughed and shrugged. Emma's dismissal saved her from having to think up a smart reply so she was probably grateful for the out.

"Later Saviour" Zelena chuckled before vanishing in a cloud of green smoke. The second she was gone Emma kicker her horse on and steered of the road and straight into the forest.

"Well that was interesting" Hook remarked as he trotted up alongside her again.

"It was helpful" Emma corrected him.

He raised his eyebrows at the blond. He got the sense she was talking about something other than the fact they now knew Zelena's plans. The sad and broken Emma that had been riding away from the Palace had now switched to a buoyant and determined looking Emma who clearly had a plan.

"Regina's heart was still beating...she's still alive" Emma explained excitedly, "and I intend to keep it that way."

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**Storybrooke – Snow POV**

Snow White had been tossing and turning for an hour after her husband had left to try and deal with the flying monkey problem. She wished she could have gone with him but she also knew he had her best interests at heart. After a sleepless hour she decided to get up and check in with Gold and Belle.

She crept down the stairs as quietly as possible for a heavily pregnant woman as she did not want to wake Henry so early. Snow was amazed they had got him to leave Regina's side and rest at all. She was relieved to see his sleeping figure curled up on the sofa still from across the low lit room.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she turned into her and Charming's bedroom. Gold was sat on one side of the bed staring off into the distance whilst Belle sat on the opposite side next to the IV gently dabbing Regina's head with a damp cloth. It was the young woman who noticed Snow's presence at the foot of the bed first.

"Hey what are you doing awake?" she greeted softly, keeping her voice low so not to disturb the sleeping boy in the next room.

"I can't sleep with everything that's going on" Snow admitted.

She took a step around the bed so she was next to Belle. The bedside lamp was turned on so she could see their patient more clearly now she had stepped into the light. Snow was horrified to see that the unconscious brunette was white as a sheet, glistening with sweat and shivering violently. Regina looked terrible and her decline over night had been a rapid one.

"She does not look good" Snow commented. The pregnant woman reached out and grasped Regina's hand in her own. It was cold and clammy.

"Her body is shutting down" Belle sighed sadly as she responded.

Snow felt utterly helpless. There was nothing she could think to do that could possibly help the brunette now. The only hope she had was Gold and his magic but from the downcast look on his face he was feeling pretty defeated too.

"Is there nothing else we can do?" she directed her question at Rumpelstiltskin.

Gold moved his cane, which had been resting on his leg, in front of him and leant his arms and chin against it.

"The sleeping curse isn't helping matters because it's blocking her body's ability to fight" he explained. "We need to find a way to life the curse."

There was only one cure for a sleeping curse that Snow knew of and that wasn't something that was readily available.

"But that requires true love..." she voiced her thoughts.

Her voice trailed away as she realised how futile this plan could be. Charming had told her that Regina had believed Robin Hood to be her true love because of a tattoo he bore. However he had also told her that Robin was sure he wasn't and that Charming had met another with the same tattoo back in the Enchanted Forest. The mark wasn't unique and therefore Robin was probably right. Snow was well aware of the unavoidable draw a person had to a true love and Robin would know about it if he felt it.

"...And Regina doesn't have a long list of suitors...I know" Gold agreed. "However If we don't lift the curse then she'll be dead within the hour."

Snow released the brunette's hand and buried her face in her own hands but before she could react any further there was a panicked shout from the doorway of the bedroom.

"No!" Henry cried.

"Henry" Snow gasped. As he was the only other person in the house she didn't need to see him to know it was him who had called out. She lowered her hands to find the young boy shaking in the doorway.

"She can't die!" he cried out again.

The twelve year old launched forward and clambered onto the foot of the bed before Snow had any chance of reacting and stopping him. He crawled up the bed so he was in between Regina and Gold and leant over her. Tears were starting to steadily run down his face.

"I've already lost my dad" Henry sobbed, "I don't want to lose anyone else."

Snow knew the young boy had two great fears. Firstly, he could lose the chance to remember and know the woman who brought him up and secondly he was scared Emma would not return. This reaction was what Charming warned against.

"We're doing everything we can Henry;" Gold stood up and placed his hand on their grandsons back, trying to offer him some comfort.

The young boy was sobbing so hard now that tears were dripping of his chin and splashing Regina's cheek. As the tears landed on the brunette's skin Snow noticed a golden hue. She didn't have a chance to fully process that information before Henry dipped his head lower so he was just above Regina's own face.

"Please don't die" he choked out before lowering his lips to Regina's cheek and kissing her.

There was a brilliant sweep of light that swept across the room like wind. It made poor Henry jump so he was sat upright whilst the three adults gasped. Even Regina reacted by taking a deep breath although she remained unconscious. A rush of memories from the past year bombarded Snow but they were of little importance now.

"I broke the curse!" Henry exclaimed. "I remember!"

He reached up and touched his fingers to his lips. Snow knew from experience that they would tingle for a while afterwards... All three of the adults smiled broadly and when Henry realised what that meant he smiled too. He had bought Emma more time to save his adoptive mother.

Snow was delighted that he had broken the curse and if they did save Regina then she was going to enjoy telling the former Queen about it. The brunette would be thrilled that there was undeniable proof that she did love her son. However she was a little baffled as to how he had broken the curse because he didn't have his memories.

"How did he...?" Snow spoke up, stuttering over her words. "I thought you couldn't break a sleeping curse under the influence of a memory potion or spell?"

Her and Charming had kissed during the first curse as Mary Margaret and David and nothing had happened. The curse had remained in place only to be broken by Emma and Henry. That had been explained to her at the time as the effects of the memory potion Rumpelstilskin had weaved into the curse for Regina.

"You can't kiss someone who doesn't remember you and have the curse lift even if you had true love before the spell..." Gold agreed. "...But if they come to love you again then yes the curse can be lifted. It is very rare though. Considering Henry has a history of curse breaking I'd say he's a very special boy but then he is the son of the saviour after all."

Henry blushed at the idea of being special but didn't comment. Instead he reached across and grasped the damp cloth of Belle and began to care for Regina again.

It was still only early and he hadn't had much sleep for a boy his age but Snow doubted she'd get him to settle again now. Instead she reached out and gave his arm an affectionate squeeze before heading into the living area to ring her husband and check that everything was okay.

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**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

"Are you going to explain to me why we have come to a halt in this particular bit of woodland Swan?" Hook asked as Emma dismounted in a small clearing.

It was an ideal spot because it looked like an obvious place to camp for the night and there was grazing for the horses as well as a nearby stream.

"It's close enough to the road for the King's guards to find us but no so close that we appear suspicious and they kill us on sight" she explained. Hook dismounted too and led his horse over to her and Thunder.

"...And why do we want the King's men to find us?" he asked incredulously. It was a tone and expression he used a lot when he wasn't keen on the sound of a plan or hadn't caught up with something that was being said.

"So we can steal their uniforms and get into that Palace without raising suspicion" Emma explained. The blond had to admit it sounded very simple when she said it like that when in reality it would be a dangerous and risky strategy. However it wasn't as risky as Emma poofing them into a Palace she didn't know the layout of. Knowing her luck she'd land them right in the middle of the soldier's garrison with hundreds of armed men.

"Ah!" Hook declared cheerfully, "a plan!"

There was no protest or smart comment like she had been expecting. In fact he seemed to approve of the plan.

"I've been in the royal quarters before so once we are inside the walls I can get us to where we need to go" he added.

"I don't think I want to know" Emma instantly groaned in response. She was aware that Hook and Regina had met before and she really didn't want to discover that they had slept together or something disgusting like that. "Just please...go and un-tack the horses and leave them to graze."

Hook raised his eyebrows at her when she thrust her horse's reins into his hand. He was obviously trying not to smile or laugh but she could see a smirk creeping up on his face as he turned.

"It's nothing as bad as you are thinking Swan" Hook assured her as he led the two horses away. "I was merely there to be tasked with an assignment."

Emma was relieved to hear that. She even knew what assignment Hook was talking about; it was how he had met Cora.

As Hook un-tacked the horses and tied them to nearby trees using their rope halters Emma focussed on making the clearing look like a camp site. She used some rocks and twigs to make a small fire pit. This was a trick she had mastered back in Neverland but she needed to amp it up a bit this time. She didn't want to start a fire; she wanted to incinerate the twigs so they looked like burnt out embers from a fire that had burnt all night.

She stepped back away from the pit and focussed on it, picturing the outcome she wanted just like Regina had hammered into her to do. It took a couple of seconds but then a violent burst of fire shot from her hands and lit the twigs. They burnt violently for a couple of seconds before dying down to the embers she desired. Impressed with herself she rubbed her hands gleefully together.

"That's a neat trick" Hook said from behind her, "and here was I thinking you only had magic lessons to spend time with the teacher."

Emma looked over her shoulder at him and rolled her eyes. At least he wasn't coming on to her now he had guessed where her feelings actually lay but he was now intent on taking great pleasure making jokes about it.

"That part didn't suck either although she did drop me off a draw bridge during the first lesson" Emma said fondly despite the subject matter; "that part wasn't cool."

"Ah...young love" Hook remarked dryly before chuckling at the irritated expression she threw him in response.

"Shut up and pretend to be asleep" Emma instructed. She moved around to the opposite side of the fire, hoping he would miss her blush now she had created some distance from him. There was only so much ribbing she could cope with.

The blond picked up one of the two large stones she'd found to use as weapons and tossed one across the fire to Hook. He may have a sword and she had magic but she'd rather not kill anyone other than Zelena on this mission.

"Yes my lady" he mocked, bowing deeply whilst holding the rock to his heart like it was the greatest gift ever bestowed to him.

Emma chuckled at his antics but pointed to the floor by his feet. She lay down on the ground just a metre or so away from the fire pit and shuffled to try and get comfortable. She pulled the cloak around her so it covered her hand and the rock she held in it. From across the dying embers of the fire she could she Hook settle down and do the same. It was pretty much light now so there would be soldiers searching the forest very soon.

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	15. Chapter 15

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 15**

**The Enchanted Forest – Hook POV**

After about twenty minutes Hook could here soldiers moving around in the forest behind him. He could just about make out their conversation. They had spotted the horses and the camp and they were coming over to check who was sleeping in the woods so close to the castle. From the conversation he ascertained that he and Emma were in luck because there were only two men.

The two soldiers came to a halt and dismounted their horses. One of them walked towards Emma and the other stepped towards him.

"This one's a woman" the soldier by Emma said.

"Must have had a domestic" the other commented before tapping Hook with the toe of his boot.

There was a loud thump and a grunt from over by Emma causing the soldier who was prodding him to swing around. Hook grabbed the soldier's leg and tugged so the man fell forwards onto the floor. He jumped onto the man's back, hauled his helmet off and hit him over the head with the rock.

He looked up to see the other soldier sprawled out unconscious too. Emma was kneeling over him and beginning to remove his armour.

"We need to hurry in case there are others nearby" Emma instructed.

The two of them got to work on removing the armour and when the men were stripped down to their underwear they dressed them in their cloaks so they wouldn't get too cold.

Emma went over to a large tree at the side of the clearing and the Pirate watched in amazement as the blond used her magic to hollow out the tree. They dragged the men over to the tree and hid them in this hollowed out space. It covered the two unconscious bodies from three sides but if anyone came into the clearing they would surely see them.

"Face away from me and get changed" the blond instructed. "So help me god if I catch you taking a peek at me I will rip out your eyeballs. Are we clear?"

"Crystal" Hook snapped back irritably. He was offended she thought he had so little decency that he would impede on her honour like that.

He turned away from her and swiftly removed the outfit he had bought at the village. It took a little longer to get the soldiers clothing and armour on. Hook had ended up using the clothes of the man who Emma had knocked out and vice versa because he was the taller of the two. It was a bit of a tight fit across his soldiers because he was broader than the soldier but other than that it fit quite well. He reluctantly armed himself with the soldier's flat sword. His own sword would have to be hidden in the saddle bags as he had no intention of leaving it behind.

"Are you done yet?" he asked over his shoulder to the blond.

"Yeah you can turn around" the blond replied instantly.

He turned to face Emma and instantly chuckled at the sight. The idea had been a good one but she was much slighter than the soldier and the armour was clearly too big on her. It would be obvious she had stolen it to anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention.

"Yeah that really doesn't fit" he commented.

"I can fix that" Emma replied calmly, "just check I have it on right first."

He walked over and gave the armour a quick once over. She had indeed fastened everything correctly and she even had the sword on the correct side. He gave her a positive nod before stepping back and out of her way. She closed her eyes and her brow creased as she concentrated hard on her magic. Hook was a bit weary of her using magic right now in case she got it wrong and shrunk herself or something. However much to his relief the armour moved and shrunk right in front of his eyes until it fit her like a glove.

"Done" she said cheerfully once it was complete.

The blond picked up her clothes from the floor and then scooped up Hooks before throwing them in the tree stump with the men. Hook watched as she placed the tack from their horses in the stump too, removing her red leather jacket from Thunders saddlebag.

The blond then closed her eyes again and cast yet more magic. This time the effect was to make the men and items totally disappear from inside the tree.

"What the hell did you just do Swan?!" he exclaimed. He hoped she hadn't transported the poor buggers to some far off land because it wasn't exactly their fault some crazy Witch from the future was here causing havoc.

"It's a protection spell" Emma assured him, "they are still there you just can't see them"

"Regina taught me it during our last lesson" she added wistfully.

Hook was trying to be as understanding and accepting of all this Evil Queen loving as he possibly could but it didn't stop him from feeling a sharp pang of pain when Emma sounded our looked emotional about her. It felt a rather lot like what he expected a knife to his heart to feel like.

"I'll let our horses loose" he offered; glad of the excuse to turn away from the blond and compose himself.

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**Storybrooke – Belle POV**

The apartment was awash with activity even though it was still only early morning. Rumpel was in the bedroom trying to use healing magic to help Regina's body fight the fading enchantment on her heart with Henry quietly watching on. The young boy had been into the kitchen moments ago to get a bowl of fresh cool water. Belle had found herself in the kitchen area with Snow and the two of them prepared a breakfast of toast, eggs and bacon for the four of them.

Charming had called his wife about twenty minutes ago to let her know everything was okay but that he was staying out a bit longer to help with the clean up on the main street. Belle could tell that Snow was itching to get out there and help him. She may be a Princess but Snow White was not used to sitting around being fussed on all day. She had been forced by the events in her past to become a fugitive and then a warrior.

"I think time is ticking down for Emma" the pixie haired brunette suddenly spoke up as she stirred the scrambled eggs.

Belle was in the middle of sorting the toast but she turned and gave Snow as much of her attention as possible.

"She'll feel terrible if Regina dies" the pregnant woman continued.

Despite everything that had happened in the past Belle was sure that everyone would mourn Regina's passing a little bit. She had locked Belle in a mental asylum for 28 years but that wouldn't stop Belle feeling sad if Regina died. The former Evil Queen had been trying hard to change and Belle appreciated a good redemption story. Emma would have to deal with Henry and his grief. Was Snow afraid her grandson would blame his birth mother for not saving Regina?

"Henry?" she asked Snow.

"Not just Henry" Snow sighed as she spoke. "I know they both like to pretend otherwise but Emma and Regina...well they have a lot of respect for each other. They care about each other...and yes they have the bond of family through Henry."

Belle had seen the growing trust and friendship between the two. In fact she had always expected an underlying attraction on both their parts but it wasn't something she'd voice out loud to Snow. It would probably give her a heart attack. Belle had mentioned it to Rumpel in the past and all he had said was 'you should have seen them when they were fighting all the time before the curse lifted...they looked like they were either going to hit each other or kiss'.

"There is still a little time" Belle offered in comfort. "Rumpel is trying everything he can to prolong her life."

"I know" Snow agreed softly.

With Neal gone Belle hoped her boyfriend would be allowed an active role in Henry's life. His grandson could never replace the loss of losing his son but it could certainly fill a hole and give Rumpel's life some meaning still. Belle hoped that between her and Henry they could give the complicated man the love he needed to stay on the straight and narrow.

"Oh" Snow suddenly gasped, abandoning the eggs and grasping the counter next to her. It dragged Belle very suddenly away from her thoughts.

"What?" Belle asked instantly. She stepped to the other woman's side and placed her hands on her back. "Snow? Snow what's wrong?"

The pregnant woman grasped her swollen stomach with one of her hands and groaned loudly. The knuckles on the hand that grasped at the counter were white Snow gripped it so hard.

"The baby" she gasped out, "It's coming!"

Belle couldn't believe the unfortunate timing of what should be a joyful event. Charming was off dealing with flying monkeys, Emma was stuck in the past and Regina was pretty much dead. That meant the only family member available was Henry and he couldn't exactly take Snow to hospital.

"Rumpel!" Belle shouted on top note across the apartment as she held onto Snow. Both Rumpel and Henry appeared from the bedroom within seconds looking scared and flustered.

"What?" her boyfriend asked.

"Finish your own breakfast and watch Henry!" Belle exclaimed. "Snow is going into labour!"

Henry looked really excited whereas Rumpel looked horrified. His hand was in his pocket so fast he had found his car keys and tossed them to her before Snow could even groan again. Apparently he had no desire for the Princess to stick around and have them play midwife.

"I'll ring Charming and tell him to meet you at the hospital" he offered. "You better go because as I recall she was only in labour for around thirty minutes with her firstborn."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**The Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

The Palace was abuzz with activity as Emma and Hook rode towards the gate. Soldiers were coming and going, some on foot and some on horseback. In the gateway to the castle there was a table set up and an important looking soldier was stood by the table holding a scroll. He was obviously the man directing activities for the day. There first big task would be to get passed him without being found out.

"Swan I am not so sure this is a good idea anymore" Hook leant over and whispered.

Emma understood his nerves; the place was teaming with soldiers in preparation for the Kings return. Despite her sympathy this was the plan she had made and she was sticking to it. If they held their nerves she was sure it would work.

"Ten minutes ago you were telling me how you successfully and bravely broke into this place" the blond reminded him.

"Yes well I should also point out that I did technically get caught" Hook pointed out. "I don't think your grandfather will be so keen to spare me and hire my considerable talents."

The blond was sure she didn't count the pirate venturing to Wonderland and aligning himself with Cora a 'considerable talent'. In fact it had caused her and her family plenty of problems. She resisted pointing that out to him and resorted to humour instead to show her disdain.

"Oh I don't know he might like a man in make-up" Emma quipped.

Hook instantly became more rigid in the saddle so although couldn't see his face through the helmet she knew the comment had struck its mark. He had snapped at her the day before for a similar remark so she was well aware it was a weak spot. She was basically calling into question his manliness.

"Well if we get caught you could always discuss his new wife with him and your matching taste in woman" Hook mocked.

If his words were meant to sting at all then he failed because at worse Hook sounded like a jealous and petulant child. Instead the blonde found herself chuckling and when her travel companion heard her laughter he joined in too. Emma reached across from her horse and gave him a friendly shove.

"Hawkins stop being a Pratt" the officer they had been steadily approaching balled. "Was your sweep clear?"

Emma felt a twinge of fear when she realised he must be talking to her. She was the one doing the shoving so she was the one riding the horse of this Hawkins the officer was calling to.

"Clear sir" she replied as deeply as possible.

She was either convincing or he just wasn't paying much attention because he merely nodded in response and made a mark on the scroll he was holding.

Once they had cleared the main gate of the palace Emma slowed her horse slightly to allow Hook to take the lead. He guided them to the stables were they both dismounted and handed their horses to some very overworked looking young stable hands.

After handing the horses over the two of them walked side by side in the direction of the main palace building.

Unlike the summer palace, which Emma had been to with Snow, this building was not like a traditional castle. The main palace was an incredibly large multi-storey tower. The blond could see why it had been the Evil Queens preferred home as its appearance was far more imposing than the castle by the sea.

"We may have to be in the palace for a little while before Zelena makes her move" Emma pointed out. "I don't think it will be too long though. I think she has to make her move before Regina's heart stops or the magic that bought us here will cease."

"That's a lot of presumptions" Hook commented.

The blond rolled her eyes at the pirate but with the helmet she was wearing there was little chance of him seeing her disapproval.

"Let's just work on theory that we need to stay inconspicuous for a while" Emma muttered. "Do you have any suggestions or are you really only here to make up the numbers?"

Hook stopped and grabbed her forearm; forcing her to stop too. His helmeted head moved from side to side to check they were not at risk of being overheard.

"We need to fit in" the Pirate replied irritably. "To do that we need to start patrolling the corridors and actually looking like soldiers."

Emma glanced around herself to check no one was watching before ripping her arm from Hooks grip. They were both feeling tense due to the precarious situation they were now in and if they didn't start holding their tongues they would end up brawling.

"Fine" she mumbled, "lead the way."

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	16. Chapter 16

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 16**

**Storybrooke – Charming POV**

Charming had just finishing up his breakfast of pancakes that Granny had whipped up for him, the Merry Men, the Dwarves, Ruby and Tink. It was meant to power them on through the day so they could get the main street at least partly cleared and stay alert for the threat of flying monkeys. They had organised a rota of jobs as they ate which also included some of the other local residents who had come down to the diner to volunteer like Kathryn, Fred, Archie, Eric and Arial.

Just as he was about to start a sweep of the woods to look for the monkeys and access their behaviour his phone started to ring. He was surprised to see Gold's name flash up on screen and not Snow's.

"Hey is everything okay?" he greeted.

"You need to get down to the hospital before your wife gives birth" Rumpelstiltskin got straight to the point. "Belle is driving her there now."

"Oh god okay" David began to stress.

Gold didn't bother to say anything else before ending the call leaving a panicking Prince. Charming was meant to have a responsibility to his people but he also had a responsibility to his wife and about to be born child. Snow really did choose the worst times to go into labour.

"David is everything okay?" Ruby joined him on the street. When he didn't answer her she shook his arm gently and repeated the question.

"Snow has gone into labour" David explained in a daze. The young brunette looked at him like he had gone mad and began to laugh at him.

"Jesus go!" she exclaimed.

He wanted to jump in his pick-up truck and drive to the hospital straight away but he also didn't want to leave Ruby on her own patrolling the forest. Ruby was Snow's best friend and he'd be in a ton of trouble if she got hurt.

"I'm meant to be..." he started to explain his concerns only to be cut off by Ruby shoving him in the direction of his truck.

"For god's sake go be with your wife" Ruby chastised him. "I'll take someone else with me to check out the woods."

The young brunette walked him over to the truck and watched him climb inside. David turned the key and the engine roared into life. He wound down the window and she waved to him.

"Tell Snow I said that Red is a good name" Ruby quipped.

"Ha I will" David chuckled, "and thank you."

He put the car into reverse and backed out of the mess that was now the main street before turning in one of the driveways. If Snow's labour was as quick as last time he was going to have to put his foot down to get to the hospital on time.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

Hook had been true to his word and had been able to guide them straight to the corridor which contained the royal bedchambers. There were two other soldiers stood at the entrance to the corridor but apart from that it was quiet down the corridor itself. Once they were out of ear shot and the eye line of the two other soldiers Hook stopped them by a heavy wooden door.

"I'm going to hazard a guess that Regina stayed in her own bedchambers and didn't move after the King died" the Pirate quietly deduced. "That means that her room is the furthest door down."

It still freaked the blond out slightly that Hook had been in Regina's bedchambers but he did seem genuine when he said that nothing happened between them. Even the idea of him and Regina flirting made her want to vomit but not half as much as she had wanted too when she had seen Regina with Robin bloody Hood.

"That means that these chambers are probably the Kings with Snow's being situated between the two" Hook continued to explain.

Emma couldn't help but look down the corridor and seek out the door to Regina's chambers. She wondered if it was common practise to have separate chambers in the Enchanted Forest or if it was just due to a complete lack of love between Regina and the King.

"Okay well how about I stand between Regina and Snow's room and you stand between Snow and Leopold's room" Emma whispered.

Hook instantly started chuckling because she had suggested that she stood by Regina's door. The blond was being practical though because the likely hood was that Zelena would go to either Regina or Snow's quarters. It was only logical that Emma, the person with the magic, should stand closest to those locations. Killian was just being an ass.

"Shut up" she muttered at him before walking off. She could still here him chuckling as she reached her destination between the two rooms.

Emma pressed her back against the wall and allowed herself to relax against it. They had not slept last night and barely slept the night before. Now the blond was stood still with something to prop herself up on she realised quite how exhausted she really was. She barely noticed the armour digging into her back as she closed her eyes and rested them for a while.

After a couple of minutes of peaceful silence Emma could hear the soft pitter patter of footsteps and she opened her eyes to see a short, plump, red haired middle aged woman walking down the corridor towards her. The woman looked like a servant of some kind. As she passed Emma she smiled politely. The blond smiled back even though the woman couldn't see her face through the helmet.

The woman knocked on Regina's door and after a short delay the door creaked open and the young Regina stuck her head out. Emma tried to keep looking straight ahead and only watch the brunette out of the corner of her eye. Even in her peripheral vision the blond could see that Regina looked pale and exhausted from staying out all night.

"Jakarta" the brunette greeted the servant. Regina only just managed to get the name out before yawning widely.

"You need to get ready dear so you can receive the King and Snow White" Jakarta informed her.

The name was familiar to Emma and she recalled her mother speaking of the servant fondly. She had helped bring a young Snow White up and had helped support her when her mother had died.

"Actually I feel rather ill" Regina explained to the servant, "could you give my apologies?"

The red haired servant shuffled awkwardly from side to side and Emma could tell she didn't approve of Regina not wanting to get dressed up and act like the dutiful wife.

"You should really come down regardless your majesty" Jakarta advised politely. "I'm sure the King will wish to tell you about his trip."

The young brunette let out an all too familiar dark chuckle in response. It was the most Stoybrooke Regina thing she had seen or heard this young Regina do.

"You know as well as I do that the King will not miss my presence" the brunette stated firmly. "You can send Snow up though as I'm sure she WILL want to see me and tell me all about it."

It was hard to tell from the brunette's tone whether she wanted to see the young Princess or not or whether she was just doing her duty. Regina was obviously quite conflicted over her feelings towards Snow at this stage. She was obviously angry and hurt at the loss of her love but she was also clearly fond of the young girl too. For now Regina seemed balanced. Emma wondered if there was an event that would tip Regina over the edge or if everything just slowly chipped away at her until she gave in to all that darkness Rumpel offered her.

"Yes your Majesty" Jakarta nodded before turning away and heading back down the corridor the way she had came.

Emma watched as Regina slumped her body and head against the doorframe. The brunette looked as wiped out as Emma felt and very sad. The blond had to resist the urge to scoop the young Regina up in her arms and hold her tight. The brunette seemed to sense Emma's gaze on her even though she couldn't see the soldiers face. As soon as Regina looked straight at her Emma nodded her head with deference and snapped her gaze back to the wall in front of her. She heard rather than saw the door shut again as Regina retreated back into her chambers.

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**Storybrooke – Charming POV**

David burst into the hospital at a run and was instantly guided to Snow by one of the nurses who were obviously expecting him. She led him to a room just down the hallway from which he could here several pained grunts.

She opened the door for him and he went straight inside, nodding to Whale who was dressed in scrubs and stood between Snow's legs. Belle had been stood by Snow's side holding her hand but as soon as David arrived she stepped back and gave him space to slide in by his wife.

"I'll wait outside" Belle informed him before slipping out the room.

"Hey honey" David turned his attention to his wife who was now grasping his hand in a painful death grip.

"Hey...OW!" she greeted in return.

One of the nurses came in and handed him a blue gown. He managed to take his hand away from Snow's for the few seconds he needed to put the ugly blue item on before his wife had his hand crushed in hers again.

Although David had been present for Emma's birth it was nothing like the clinical and sterile procedure that was occurring around him now. Emma had been popped out in a rush in their bedchambers with only a couple of female servants to help them.

"Is everyone okay?" Snow asked between sharp pained breaths.

"Yeah everyone is fine" Charming assured her, even though he had already told her what had happened earlier over the phone. The people who were out on the front lines were Snow's closest friends so it was no wonder she was concerned.

"Is there a lot of...OW...damage?" his wife asked, her question briefly broken by a sharp contraction.

"Could you concentrate on this right now?!" Whale suddenly chided from between Snow's legs. "This baby is on its way so you need to start pushing on your next contraction."

Charming had to hold in a laugh at the Doctor's frustrated tone but any amusement he felt quickly left him when his wife gripped his hand even harder as her next contraction ripped through her. It was so hard that he actually groaned in pain but it was masked by Snow's agonised cry as she began to push.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

Even from a couple of floors up and inside the tower Emma could hear all the sound and pomp of the King and her mother's return to the palace. She couldn't imagine herself as a Princess if every time she returned home from a trip people screamed and someone played a trumpet at her.

The blond had tried to picture herself living this life ever since she had broken the curse but it had never really fitted together in her mind. It was almost ironic that after twenty eight years wishing her parents had never given her up she was now quite relieved that they had even if she still had abandonment issues. As Regina had said in Neverland it was hard to regret something that resulted in something you loved more than anything. If the curse hadn't happened then Henry would never have existed.

The sound had been going on, although at a lower level, for around fifteen minutes before Emma heard scurrying in corridor that led to the royal chambers. Emma instantly straightened herself up and stopped using the wall as a crutch as did Hook who had been slumped a few metres away. Just then a young brunette girl, not quite a teenager yet, appeared into the corridor and stopped instantly when she saw the two guards. Emma would recognise that chin anywhere. It was her mother Snow White wearing a white puffed out dress, a gold tiara and a very shiny gold bracelet.

The young Snow quickly recovered from the shock of finding soldiers in the corridor and scurried past wordlessly before barrelling through Regina's door without bothering to knock.

"Regina Regina" the young girl called out exuberantly. "Regina look at what King Midas gave me!"

The door slammed shut behind her making it nearly impossible for Emma to hear the brunette's reply. She could hear talking but the wall muffled the sound out too much for her to make out any words. The blond quietly edged sideways down the corridor so she was right next to Regina's chamber door. It was made out of a heavy oak wood but more of the sound bled through that than the wall.

"He gave daddy a gift for you too" Emma could hear the young Snow telling Regina. "You'll like it because it's pretty...just like you."

Emma appreciated that sentiment. Regina was indeed 'pretty', in fact she was beautiful. The young Regina's long flowing hair and white gown was a nice change to what Emma was used too but she missed seeing the slightly older Regina strutting around in fitted dresses and killer heels.

"I don't feel so pretty today Snow" Regina replied after a slight delay.

There was a strange waver in the Queens voice. This was a woman whose confidence was still low after years of emotional abuse by her own mother. Emma wondered how many kind words Cora had said to her compared to the vast amount of criticism. The blond had seen that waver in Regina's eyes in their own time but her Regina was too emotionally guarded to let it slip out so openly.

"You look sad" Snow asked, "do you wish you had come with us?"

Emma leant yet closer to the door frame to ensure she could hear what came next. She was fascinated to know how the young Regina would answer this question. Did she wish that King actually cared about her enough for her to travel with them? Would it have made a difference to the way Regina had felt and developed if he did?

The next thing she heard was not what she expected.

"I...what?!" Regina suddenly exclaimed. "Who the hell are you?!"

Zelena. It had to be Zelena.

Emma launched into life and drew her sword before charging into the room.


	17. Chapter 17

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 17**

**Enchanted Forest – Emma POV**

On bursting into the room Emma came face to face with three people. Firstly there was the young Snow who was sat on the bed looking rather terrified. Regina was stood, still in her night clothes, by the bed but between the child and the intruder. The third person was of course Zelena who was still as green as grass and dressed in her ridiculous witches outfit.

As soon as Emma came barrelling in the Witch direct some sort of spell at her which Emma batted away with her sword. The spell hit a vase which smashed into shards.

"Wait" Regina instructed, lifting her hand to Emma and instructing her to halt.

"You have magic" she stated towards Zelena. "Who are you and what do you want from us?"

Another soldier, who she presumed must be Hook, lingered just behind Emma, and moved with her as she began to slowly edge to the side of the Queen and the Princess. Zelena seemed unconcerned by their presence as she didn't realise what two people were beneath the armour.

"I'm you sister darling" Zelena chuckled. "Well half sister...we share a mother."

Regina snorted disbelievingly as she gave the older Witch the once over with her eyes. It wasn't much of a surprise that Regina would look at the green woman and presume she was talking utter nonsense. It's exactly how the older Regina had reacted to the news in Granny's cafe at the wake.

"I'm an only child" the brunette dismissed her claim easily.

Just as the Witch was about to reply the two soldiers from down the hall came running in to the chambers too having obviously heard the vase being destroyed. They ran straight towards the Witch and Zelena sent a burst of light in their direction which knocked them clean of their feet and unconscious.

"We've had this conversation before" Zelena calmly replied to Regina's earlier comment once she had dealt with them.

Emma saw the nervous expression that flashed across the young Regina's face before she managed to push it down and become stoic again. At this stage in her training Regina would be no match at all for Zelena. Emma however had noticed something that hadn't caught her attention before. When Zelena did magic the large green stone on her necklace glowed like somehow it was linked to her powers.

"No we haven't" the brunette snapped slightly, "I'm quite sure I'd remember."

"Oh but we really have" Zelena responded smoothly. "Twice in fact and it's getting rather old."

At this strange response Regina appeared to be momentarily lost for words so the brunette resorted to glaring at the unexpected and unwanted visitor. Emma wondered if the 'getting old' comment was meant to be some sort of pun on the fact she was in the past. Zelena seemed to get her kicks from stupid puns and sound bites. If Emma heard her make another 'wicked' comment she was convinced she'd go dark on the woman's ass and cause some serious damage.

"Now" Zelena announced, breaking Emma from her murderous thoughts. "If you excuse me I have a princess to kill."

The young Snow gave out a terrified little screech and promptly fainted just as Regina gasped put the word 'no' in response. To Emma's surprise the young Regina managed to hurl a small fireball in the direction of the Witch but Zelena batted it away easily and began to laugh.

"That's sweet Regina but totally ineffective" the witch taunted with a voice full of mirth.

The young Regina looked genuinely terrified when she realised the best she could muster was nowhere near good enough. It was time for Emma to step in and pray her actions didn't have too much of a dire effect on the future...or her own present.

"How about you try your luck with me then?" the blond rasped at the Witch, flinging her sword to the floor to free up her hands.

Zelena may not be able to see her through all the armour but she certainly recognised the voice. It was quite satisfying for Emma to see the luck of nervous displeasure that arose on the Witch's features.

"Saviour" the woman gasped.

There was no chance to respond as Zelena was already raising her hand to attack the blond. Emma reacted quickly though and thought about forcing Zelena's hand back down and binding her so she couldn't cast any magic. She was pleased to see a burst of white leave her own right hand and wrap around the green witch.

It was only a temporary solution though and certainly not done. So Emma rammed her eyes closed and concentrated on the jewel around Zelena's neck. At the sound of the woman's shriek she opened her eyes just as the green jewel landed in her own outstretched hand. The second it made contact with Emma's glove it no longer glowed green but turned a bright and shining white. The blond felt a slight tinge in her right arm as she grasped the jewel but thought little of it.

"No" Zelena gasped out. "No no no no NO!"

Emma reached out her other hand and thought of the satchel containing the talismans that hung from Zelena's shoulder and sure enough it landed in her left hand. She had Regina's heart back and if she was correct she also had the source of Zelena's incredible power. It was almost job done if it wasn't for the horrified brunette who was backing away from her to the point where she fell backwards onto the bed next to the unconscious Princess.

Emma placed the pendant in the satchel and flung the bag over her shoulder. Once it was securely at her side she reached out towards the young Queen to try and calm her.

"Stay back...you have magic too" Regina pleaded. "You have really powerful magic."

Emma followed the brunette's eye line towards the magically bound green Witch. It was understandable that she was scared but she needed to calm the brunette fast before she started screaming and they had a whole host of guards appearing.

"Regina I..." she tried to sooth the woman's fears with a tone that had been effective at times in their present. However the young Regina instantly and suspiciously cut in.

"That's a bit of an informal way to address your Queen soldier" she rasped. "Who...who are you?"

Emma sighed deeply and reached up for her helmet. Zelena's actions had already done plenty of damage no doubt so it seemed of little consequence right now if Emma came face to face with Regina in the light of day. Hook reached forward to try and stop her but she shook away his hand and removed the helmet, lowering the cumbersome headwear down and dropping on the bed beside Snow.

"You..." Regina exclaimed in surprise. The brunette lifted herself gracefully of the bed so she was now stood face to face with Emma. The two were close enough for Emma to feel Regina's breath on her face. "You're the woman who rescued me in the town aren't you?"

"Yes" Emma admitted as she tried to remain calm despite Regina's proximity. "I promise that you are safe now...I would never hurt you."

Regina was stood so close. The only thing stopping Emma launching forward and kissing her was the fact this Regina was over ten years younger than her. That and the fact the brunette was already utterly confused about what was going on.

"Are you following me?" Regina asked suspiciously.

"Not exactly" Emma replied. The blond wasn't sure how to explain it all to Regina without admitting she was from the future.

"Then what exactly?" Regina shot back. This was the side of Regina she was more used to. It was sassy personal space invading Regina.

The blond was at a loss of things to say especially as Regina's hands had crept up from the younger woman's sides and were now pressed against the armour plating on Emma's stomach. The brunette's brown eyes looked at her imploringly but all Emma could manage was a stutter or two before they were interrupted.

"She's here to protect you and Snow White dearie" a familiar voice rang out from across the room. Both Emma and Regina swung around in the direction of the voice so they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" Regina gasped out as the same time Emma asked "what are you doing here?"

The Dark One was stood on Regina's balcony and leaning back casually on the rail. His face was glittering in the bright sunlight pouring into the room.

"You didn't think I'd leave it all to chance did you dearie?" he scoffed at Emma. "I've been watching in case you slipped up and failed."

Rumpelstiltskin pushed off the balcony rail and trotted inside the room. The Rumpel of the FTL was extremely chipper compared to his Storybrooke counterpart Mr Gold. It made him strange to deal with but oddly familiar as well. It was a bit like dealing with Mr Gold on some kind of opiate.

"Well...thanks for not helping but we're fine" Emma responded dryly.

The Dark One let out one of his manic giggles before trotting over to the green witch who was still bound and looking sorry for herself.

"Hardly" Rumpel said before laying his hand on Zelena's shoulder. In an instant she turned to ashes and was gone.

"All better" Rumpel announced before giggling again.

Emma felt Regina flinch away as the Dark One wiped the Witch out of existence but the blond was rooted to the spot in shock. She didn't have a plan about how to deal with Zelena, she had just intended to take her back through the portal with her and take it from there. Now it appeared the problem had been dealt with for her.

"Oh jesus you just killed her" Emma finally exclaimed. She felt a strong hand grasp her arm from behind and Hook leant forwards against her.

"Probably not a terrible thing Swan" he muttered. "At least we don't have to deal with her."

"What he said" Rumpel giggled, pointing his forefinger in Hooks direction.

Emma was rather uncomfortable with the fact Zelena had been murdered when completely helpless. The witch was the only blood family that Regina had left and Emma had hoped that maybe the witch was not beyond redemption too. Now they would never know.

Rumpel reached into his pocket and took out several small vials of a clear liquid. He looked around the room like he was doing a quick head count and smiled in satisfaction.

"What is that?" Emma asked, nodding her head at the bottles in his hand.

"A memory potion" the Dark One explained. "None of us can be allowed to remember you dearie or it will change our futures."

As he spoke Rumpel deposited the content of a bottle in each of the two unconscious soldier's mouths. Once he had done that he waved his hand over them and they disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.

"I hope he just put them back on centaury duty" Emma whispered to the Pirate who was still gripping her arm. "There is only so much murder I can cope with for one day."

"Aye" he agreed before finally releasing his grip of her.

Rumpel made his way over to the bed and poured a vial of liquid into the young Princess' mouth. He then ran his hand above Snow White's head and a faint glow emitted from it.

"She'll sleep for an hour or so now" he assured them once he had finished his spell. He stepped around the bed so he was now facing Emma.

"Now this one...this one is for the Queen" Rumpel announced cheerfully as he waved a vial towards them. Emma stretched out and snatched it before he got the chance to try and force feed Regina it or whatever he was planning on doing. The blond had no intention of forcing this upon Regina unless absolutely necessary.

"Have a safe trip home dearie," Rumpel giggled again before disappearing into a cloud of red smoke.

It was the first time since Rumpel had arrived that Emma turned her attention to Regina. She was surprised to find that the brunette was paying no attention to the Dark One at all but was instead staring at her. They seemed to gravitate closer again so they were face to face.

"You're from the future?" the young Regina asked. There was an element of disbelief in the brunette's voice but that disbelief was obviously tempered by the fact Rumpel had clearly believed it to be true.

"Yes and I need to get back there straight away" Emma admitted. "There is someone I need to save."

Now that the satchel was pressed against her thigh she could feel the painfully slow and dull thud of Regina's heart and she knew time was running out.

"Are you going to force me to drink that?" Regina asked, directing her attention to the single vial of liquid situated in the blonde's right hand.

Emma reached out and grasped Regina's right hand with her own left. She uncurled the brunette's palm and placed the vial in Regina's hand. The confusion that danced across the brunette's features increased at this gesture.

"No" Emma assured her. "I have to go before you drink it so it will be your choice to do the right or the wrong thing."

Regina's response came in the form of a dazzling smile. Emma hadn't meant for it to be quite that grand a gesture then she had briefly forgot how little free choice Regina had been able to express in her life so far. Everything was being mapped out by other people.

"Emma" Hook grumbled from the side of her. The Pirate had respectfully tried to linger back and away from her and the brunette's conversation but he was clearly uncomfortable with leaving something to chance. Emma ignored him and carried on regardless.

"Regina I know you and I trust you" she told the young brunette. "I trust that you will drink this so I will not force you."

The brunette smiled again and drew the hand containing the vial away from Emma and pressed it against her chest. The blond could see that her words had meant something to the young woman.

"You have my word that I will drink it" she sincerely promised.

Emma reached out and ran the back of her forefinger down the brunette's jaw line in a gentle caress before allowing her finger to linger under her chin for a few moments. Regina's eyes had fluttered closed at the tender contact before reopening when Emma finally dropped her hand away and back to her own side.

"Good bye...for now" Emma mumbled softly.

The blond backed away from Regina and into the centre of the room. Hook slid past the young brunette and followed Emma. She was glad she couldn't see his face under the helmet because he would be jealous and hurting right now and she wanted to avoid that.

He stood by silently and waited whilst she reached into the satchel and removed two bottles of potion. One was white and one was black and they were identical to the potions the witch had used to create a portal the first time. She hoped that it would just reverse the magic and the portal that opened would take them straight back to her time but in case that wasn't the case she concentrated very hard on Henry, her family and Storybrooke. She smashed the two bottles together and flung the contents just in front of her.

There was a brilliant flash of light as the grey portal appeared in front of them and the air around them filled with strong magic.

"Homeward bound" Hook muttered before stepping through the portal and disappearing. Emma took a step to follow him when Regina called out from behind her.

"Wait!"

The blond swung around to find the young brunette right behind her and before she had a chance to react Regina closed the gap between them and pressed their lips firmly together. It caught completely by surprise and by the time she realised what was happening the young brunette was hastily pulling away again.

"Goodbye" the brunette whispered, blushing at her own boldness.

Emma smiled and started to back away into the portal. As she went she could see Regina un-corking the potion. The last thing Emma saw before the magic pulled her into the portal was the young brunette taking a large gulp from the bottle.


	18. Chapter 18

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 18**

**Storybrooke – Henry POV**

Henry didn't have to be a doctor or a practitioner of magic to see that his adoptive mother was barely alive. No matter how many times he dabbed her head with cool water to try and take the temperature down she continued to burn up and was barely breathing. Tears stung at the back of his eyes but he couldn't cry. He was too numb to cry and he kept telling himself that she wasn't gone yet. His other mom, Emma, would come. She had to come.

Mr Gold was even starting to look decidedly downcast about her condition. He sat in the chair on the other side of the bed to Henry and had spent the hour or so since Snow and Belle left staring at the wall behind Henry's head.

"Are you okay Mr G...randdad?" he asked. Mr Gold instantly snapped his gaze to Henry.

There was a distant haunted look in the man's eyes which Henry couldn't understand. He knew his mother and Mr Gold didn't hate each other really and that they both enjoyed bouncing of each other. However he didn't expect Mr Gold to look quite so devastated by her declining health.

"I had a lot of time to think when I was Zelena's prisoner" Mr Gold finally spoke up. "I think there is a significant chance I am Regina's father."

Of all the things Henry was expecting the man to say then that was not it. It had never even crossed Henry's mind that Regina could be his daughter because the book never mentioned him and Cora being together only that Rumpelstiltskin was her magic teacher.

After a brief pause Mr Gold continued with his explanation.

"The timing is right but it's also right for it to have been Cora's husband. I'd considered it when I heard of the birth but then she never showed any signs of magical prowess as a child so I presumed she wasn't mine with me being the dark one and all that. Now I'm not so sure though. I don't know why I'm telling you this...I haven't even told Belle yet."

Try as he might Henry didn't really understand adults and the way their minds worked. He had an inkling that Mr Gold may have ignored the notion that Regina could be his child because he didn't want it to be true but now that his son was dead the idea was suddenly more appealing. If he was right though then Henry was sure Regina would want to know the truth.

"Is there a way of finding out?" Henry asked.

Mr Gold regarded him for a moment before reaching into the pocket of his black suit jacket and taking out a small clear bottle containing clear liquid. He lifted it up to eye height so that he was looking through the potion bottle at Henry.

"If I put a drop of my blood and a drop of Regina's blood in this potion and it turns blue then we are closely related" Mr Gold admitted. "Considering I am considerable older than Regina that can only mean one thing."

Although he had the potion in his hand Mr Gold made no attempt to draw any blood or use the potion. Instead he gazed at the potion like it may leap out of his hand and bite him. In the stories Henry had read they had described Rumpelstiltskin as a coward until he became the Dark One. Henry wondered if it was fear that was holding the man back now.

"You're scared?" he asked.

"You have to understand Henry" Mr Gold replied instantly. "If I am Regina's father then I have spectacularly failed both my children. That is a little terrifying."

Henry was well aware of how Rumpelstiltskin had failed Baelfire but he wasn't really sure how he had failed Regina. Did he mean he had failed her by giving her the curse? So much of his mother's history was clouded in secrecy. The book didn't tell her side of the story. In fact Henry knew little of either of his mom's story. They were both very guarded and in many ways very similar people.

"I pushed Regina down this road" Mr Gold tried to explain. "I needed someone to cast my curse so I pressed and pushed and manipulated her into becoming that lost, bitter and angry woman. I created the Evil Queen. I very much doubt she'd want me to be her father."

Despite only being a child Henry found himself advising his parents and other grandparents a lot. Apparently he had now become the wise owl for the Dark One too...which was kind of cool really. To be fair it wasn't rocket science this time. Henry knew from his own experiences that having secrets kept from you was not pleasant.

"I think she'd like to know the truth" he informed Mr Gold. "I think when Emma manages to save my mom then you should tell her what you think and ask her if she wants to know for sure."

His granddad chuckled slightly in response and nodded his head. This was one thing Henry didn't get about adults. Sometimes you would say something deadly serious to them and they would laugh about it. It was a very weird coping mechanism. Henry would much rather just sit down and read a book or a comic to forget his troubles.

Mr Gold's mobile phone started ringing with some sort of soppy love song tone so Henry guessed it was Belle. The man leapt to his feet and hobbled away, answering the phone when he reached the staircase.

"Hey" he greeted.

There was a brief pause whilst Mr Gold listened to his girlfriend so Henry continued to dab Regina's head with a freshly dampened cloth.

"That's wonderful news Belle" Mr Gold finally spoke up again. "I'll let Henry know."

Yet again there was pause whilst Belle spoke on the other end of the phone.

"Yes could you" the older man replied to whatever his girlfriend was saying. "Thanks Belle."

Mr Gold ended the phone call and walked back towards Henry. He stopped at the end of the bed and smiled lightly.

"Your grandparents have had a baby boy" he announced. "Both mother and child are safe and well."

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**Storybrooke – Hook POV**

Hook was thoroughly relieved when he stepped out of the portal and back into the land around the farm house in Storybrooke. It didn't surprise him that Emma wasn't right behind him because no doubt Regina of the past wanted a private word or two before the blond left.

The area was very quiet apart from the low buzz of the portal. It was a strange humming sound that he hadn't noticed the first time but then he had been charging at it in desperation the first time. After half a minute or so the blond appeared behind him with a bright smile on her face and within seconds the portal snapped shut.

"I thought for a moment you weren't coming" he said. It wasn't remotely true but it covered any jealousy he felt pretty well.

"She drank the potion" was the blonde's only reply.

Hook could have worked that out for himself considering they were in Storybrooke. He just hoped there actions in the past hadn't accidently changed anything.

Emma looked like she was about to say anything else but then there was a rustle from the nearest tree line, situated to Hook's left. Both of them swung around in the direction of the noise as Robin Hood stumbled into the clearing. The man jumped in shock when he realised he wasn't alone and raised his crossbow slightly. When he realised it was them his face changed from shock to...joy?!

"You're back!" the outlaw declared far cheerfully for a man who had betrayed them and caused a lot of this mess in the first place.

Hook eyed the crossbow in Robin's hand with suspicion and drew his sword just as Emma raised her own hand, producing a fireball. The man instantly stepped back and dropped his crossbow, quick to show he was no threat. Another figure barrelled through the tree line and straight into the back of the outlaw. It was Ruby.

"Whoa hold on!" the waitress called out when she saw the scene in front of her. "He's okay Emma! Zelena had his heart!"

Apparently Emma trusted Ruby enough to take her word for it because the blond dropped her hand down and the flame disappeared.

"Where is Regina?" the blond asked. It was clear Emma was in no mood for conversation.

"At your parent's apartment" Ruby replied. It was obvious by her tone and facial expression that the former Evil Queen was in dire straits though. "But Emma the last I heard she was really very sick."

Hook watched the pained look flash across the blonde's face as she scrambled around in the satchel and pulled out the Queen's heart. There was hardly any glow to it at all and the beat was so faint you could barely see it. Emma physically wretched at the sight and despite the sadness he felt at not being the person she wanted he couldn't see her suffer. If it was Regina she wanted then he would bloody well make sure she had her. There had to be something good in this whole friendship business right? Everyone else seemed to go in for it so why not him.

"Go Swan" he encouraged her. "You can do the poofing thing if you put your mind to it I know you can. Think of your home and think of Regina. Magic is emotion."

Emma nodded her head and forced her eyes closed. For a few seconds nothing happened but then suddenly there was an electric blue cloud of smoke and Emma was gone. He only hoped she'd landed in the desired spot.

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**Storybrooke – Emma POV**

Trying to re-materialise across town was probably a crazy thing for Emma to attempt with her complete lack of magical training but there was no time to lose. It was a good twenty minute jog back to the apartment from the farmhouse and by that time the heart would have definitely stopped completely. In the Enchanted Forest she had managed every bit of magic she had put her mind too and as Hook helpfully encouraged her magic was indeed emotion. Emma had plenty of emotion to call upon right now.

It worked instantly but she nearly fell flat on her face when her feet hit the floor in the living room area of her parent's apartment. The only reason she remained upright was because she managed to grab out with her free hand and use the arm of the sofa to hold herself up. She had been successful in her attempt at transporting herself but she needed to work on it if she was going to arrive with a bit of dignity next time.

It took her a couple of seconds to get her bearings because using magic when she was already exhausted had nearly wiped her out. Her head spun and her stomach felt like it was twisting in her abdomen to the point where she thought she may vomit. Luckily for the blond the wave of nausea passed before that happened. The room was still spinning though and her mind was foggy when she heard someone calling her name.

"Mom!" her son called from the bedroom.

Suddenly he appeared from behind the stairwell and came bounding across the room towards her at speed.

"Henry!" she exclaimed; so glad to see him again after a couple of days in the past not knowing if she would make it back to him.

Emma opened her free arm out to hug him but instead of throwing himself into her arms like she expected Henry grabbed the arm and started tugging her towards the bed were Regina lay. Rumpelstiltskin was stood at one side of the bed looking pensively at her but apart from those two the apartment appeared empty.

"Mom mom hurry" he instructed her as physically directed her towards the bed. "She's really sick mom you need to do something!"

When Emma arrived at the foot of the bed where Regina laid she felt like vomiting again. The brunette was ghostly pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. Her body was gripped by fever and she was visibly shivering. There was an IV in her right arm to attach her to a drip. Emma had never seen Regina look anything other than perfect so seeing her so very sick was terrifying. Her skin was so pale she almost looked like a zombie.

The blond stepped around the bed and closer to Rumpel, lifting the heart so he could get a clear look at it.

"It's barely beating" she admitted.

Rumpel placed his hand over the top of the heart and felt the lightness of its slow thudding. He glanced towards Henry and then back at Emma with a concerned luck on his face. Emma could tell by the look on his face that there was a real danger that she had arrived too late.

"Her heart is resilient that's why Zelena wanted it" Rumpel tried to assure her. "Get it back in her chest and let's take it from there dearie."

He moved back and let Emma slide in front of him before walking away and taking up a position by Henry. It wasn't lost on Emma that he put his arm around her sons shoulder and Henry responded by leaning in like he would any other family member.

She quickly turned her attention back to the unconscious and sickly form in front of her and peeled down the blanket that covered her. Emma edged forward and knelt onto the bed. She supported herself on one hand so she was hovering over the brunette and gently reached down placing the heart against her chest. The blond sucked in a deep breath and pressed down, surprising herself with how easily the heart and her hand slipped inside the empty cavity.

It was a strange experience having your hand inside someone but it was also quite exhilaratingly intimate. It would probably be more so if Regina's heart was beating at a more normal rate. The only thing distracting her from the exhilarating feeling was a terrible itch just above her right wrist that she had no way of scratching whilst wearing the royal armour.

"How will we know if it's worked if she's under a sleeping curse?" she asked Rumpel, trying to ignore the itch. The blond wondered if the heartbeat would stay exceptionally low if Regina was cursed.

"She's not!" Henry exclaimed. "I kissed her and now the curse is broken and I remember everything!"

Now she had been told he had his memories back she was surprised she hadn't realised the second she arrived in the apartment. The boy that had bounded over to her was obviously Storybrooke Henry and not the boy without those memories she had lived in New York with. Emma couldn't see Henry because he was behind her but she could tell from his exuberant tone that he was happy to have the memories back and delighted that he had been the one to lift Regina's curse. To think at one time he and Emma had thought the brunette didn't really love him. It seemed absurd in hindsight.

After several more seconds without anything happening Emma uncurled her hand from around the brunette's heart and gently pulled her hand out of Regina's chest. She left her palm pressed above the material of Regina's top, keeping it hovering over her heart in the hope she would start to feel a more consistent thud against her hand.

The blond was expecting Regina to suddenly regain consciousness and sit up if she was no longer cursed. Or at least she was hoping that was going to happen. Instead the woman remained unconscious and feverish underneath Emma's touch and there was still no disenable heart beat. If it wasn't for the slow and shallow rise of her chest, indicating breathing, she could be mistaken as dead. Fear started to grip Emma that she really was too late.

"Regina?" she called out softly. There was no response so she slid her hand up from the brunette's chest to her shoulder and gently shook her.

"REGINA?!" she called out a little louder. There was still nothing.

Henry clambered onto the bed on the other side of the unconscious brunette to Emma and gazed down at her too. There was panic in his eyes which matched the panic Emma was feeling. Emma turned towards Gold who was stood stoically at the end of the bed watching the scene.

"Nothing is happening! Shouldn't she have woken up straight away?"

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	19. Chapter 19

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 19**

**Storybrooke – Rumpel POV**

Rumpelstiltskin watched on awkwardly as Emma and Henry leant over the still unconscious form of Regina on the bed and tried to wake her. The blond called out Regina's name a couple of times but the brunette showed no signs of responding.

"Nothing is happening! Shouldn't she have woken up straight away?" Emma directed her question towards him.

Under normal circumstances Rumpel would indeed expect the brunette to instantly awaken now her heart was in her chest but there had been nothing normal about what her body and heart had gone through. It was bound to delay her recovery but he was confident that Regina would indeed recover. She was too stubborn not to.

"Both Regina's body and her heart are in ill health and severely drained Miss Swan" he explained. "All we can do is continue to nurse her and hope she makes a full recovery but it may take some time. Belle is on her way back from the hospital now and on route she is stopping to pick up a potion that had been brewing over night. It should help a little but nothing will help her more than rest."

As he spoke he noticed that the blond reached down and gently slid some of Regina's hair from her face. The side of her finger glanced across Regina's skin. It was not the touch of a nurse but the touch of a lover. He had always suspected that there was more feelings involved for both women than what they showed on the surface but it was still surprising to see Emma act so reverently in front of him.

Once he'd finished speaking there was a slight delay as the blond gazed down at Regina before his words fully sunk in. Emma suddenly sat upright and turned on the bed to face him.

"Hospital?" she asked. "Is everyone okay? Is someone hurt?"

As she spoke Emma's eyes darted around the area of the apartment on view with increasing panic, obviously fearful that something bad had happened to her absent parents.

"Grandma has had a baby boy!" Henry exclaimed in response.

Emma instantly relaxed and Rumpel smiled at his grandson's excitement. When they had first found out his reaction had been muted but now that his mother had returned and hopefully saved his other mother he could finally celebrate.

"Wow okay" Emma chuckled. "I've missed a lot whilst I was skipping around the Enchanted Forest of the past."

He'd been so caught up in treating Regina that Rumpel had almost forgot that the portal the blond and the Pirate had ventured through was not any old portal. They had gone back to the past. It was amazing they had returned without doing any damage to the timeline.

"At what point in history did you end up?" he asked the blond. Her attention had drifted back to the unconscious Regina but when he asked the question she returned her gaze to him with a confused expression.

"You don't remember?" Emma asked; surprise evident in her voice. "I saw you there...you gave me a memory potion so that a young Regina and Snow wouldn't remember meeting me."

Rumpel knew that he had a couple of missing days that he had never been able to explain back in the days when he was first giving Regina magic lesson's. He had always suspected he had chosen to remove them from his mind himself because there was evidence of a memory potion being brewed at his castle when he had returned. Now he knew why.

"I must have taken a memory potion myself" he replied simply.

Emma looked like she may press him for an explanation as to why he would have done that but she was distracted by her own arm. Letting out a slight gasp she grabbed her right wrist and wriggled the armour plating on it, her face contorting as she did so.

"Are you okay mom?" Henry asked, reaching across Regina and laying his hand on the elbow of the arm that was bothering her.

"It's nothing kid" Emma shrugged of his concern. "My arm is just really itchy and uncomfortable."

Rumpel stepped slowly around the bed and towards her. There were no obvious signs of her being in a physical fight. Her only obvious ailment was exhaustion as her eyes were red and face pale.

"Are you injured? Would you like me to take a look at it?" he asked as he came to a stop by her.

"It's fine its probably just this damn armour" Emma assured him. "I could do with getting a shower and changed."

Rumpel cast another glance over her and decided to let it go. The armour she wore was bound to be uncomfortable and ill fitted and could well be digging into her wrist. He had a sneaky feeling, call it intuition; that something else was going on but for now he was very willing to give her the benefit of the doubt

"You're right you should get yourself cleaned up" he agreed. "Henry and I will sit and watch Regina for you."

The blond nodded at him in appreciation and climbed off the bed. She gave Regina's hand a small squeeze before heading off up the stairs in the direction of her old room. Once she was gone Henry picked up his mobile phone from the bedside table next to the bowl of water he had been using to cool Regina's raging temperature with.

"I'll let grandma and gramps know mom is back" Henry informed him.

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**Storybrooke – Charming POV**

David was slumped comatose in the hospital chair beside his wife's bed. Snow was sleeping peacefully after giving birth and their new baby son was in hospital cot on the other side of his chair. Like his mother the baby was sleeping soundly too. David on the other hand could not settle and get some much needed rest but it gave him time to contemplate life.

His wife's body truly did choose the worst possible times to give birth. It's not like they done it often but the twice they had she had managed to go into labour with an Evil Queens curse bearing down on them and whilst their town was under threat from flying monkeys and a Wicked Witch trying to erase them from history. Life was never dull in the Charming household.

Another nurse wandered into the room and silently checked on both mother and baby. David silently nodded to them by way of a greeting but he wasn't really in the mood for conversation. After a couple of minutes fumbling around the nurse left again.

He checked his watch and sighed. It was late morning now and he hadn't heard anything from Emma yet. That was not a good sign considering what Belle had informed him about Regina's rapidly decaying health. It was also not good for his chances of seeing his daughter again. Just as he was thinking about his daughter the phone in his pocket began to vibrate.

He retrieved it from his jeans to find that Henry was calling him. That was either a very good or a very bad thing so he quietly got up from his seat and stepped outside the hospital room and into the hallway where he was less likely to wake his family.

"Henry?" he greeted when he answered the call.

"Hi gramps!" his grandson greeted in return. "I'm just ringing to let you know that mom is back safe and sound."

David was so relieved to hear word of Emma finally that he leant back against the cool white hospital wall and closed his eyes. If Emma was back safe then she had succeeded in stopping Zelena changing the past. He had never really doubted her ability to succeed but he had been terrified by the fact he could do nothing to help her.

"Is she okay?" he asked. "Did she bring Regina's heart back? Is Regina okay?"

He was presuming that the answer was a yes because Henry seemed quite upbeat. If Emma had returned empty handed then his grandson would be mortified that his adoptive mother was going to die.

"Well she hasn't woken up yet but Mr Gold thinks it's because she was so drained so it will take her time to recover" Henry explained. "Mom has gone to get changed and stuff because she was all dressed up like a knight and she kind of smelt."

David couldn't help but snigger at Henry's comment. Two days running around the Enchanted Forest would certainly build up plenty of grime and sweat. He had never noticed on both occasions he had lived there because everyone smelt like that...it was the norm. He had noticed when Emma and Snow had returned after their run in with Cora that they smelt more...earthly...than he had become accustomed to in Storybrooke.

"Okay well we should be back from the hospital later this afternoon after Snow has rested a bit" David informed his grandson. There was a pause at the other end of the line and David wondered if they had been cut off.

"We can't all fit in the apartment" Henry suddenly spoke up again. "Perhaps I should get Mr Gold to help us get mom back to her house and ma and I can look after her there?"

David knew Snow would be disappointed to arrive home to an empty apartment and not see Emma or Henry but it was probably for the best. There was barely space for Emma and Henry to stay there too never mind Regina. It was likely that Emma and Henry would want to move out and into their own place now the baby was around. That was if Emma chose to stay, she had intimated to him previously that they may return to New York but then that was before Henry had his memories back. David was sure that fact would change everything as Henry would be reluctant to leave Regina and the rest of his family.

"That is probably a very good idea" David finally replied. "If Regina needs time to recover she may not appreciate a crying baby keeping her awake."

Henry chuckled but David was distracted by the sound of someone calling his name. It sounded very much like his wife was awake and looking for him.

"I better go" he told his grandson. "Snow has just woken up I think."

"Okay" Henry replied casually, "love you both."

The phone went dead so Charming rammed it back into the pocket of his jeans and headed back inside to see his wife. She was now sat up in the bed and peering over the cot at their little boy as much as possible.

"Hey" he greeted, "Henry just rang to say that Emma is home safe and that they have returned Regina's heart to her."

"Oh thank god!" she exclaimed; releasing a deep breath.

David approached the bed again and stood to the side of her just in front of the seat he had occupied for the last hour or so. He grasped her hand and affectionately squeezed it.

"How are you feeling?" David asked.

"Pretty good actually" his wife replied cheerfully. "I certainly feel a lot lighter."

He leant across the bed and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead. He pulled back slightly so he could see her face but remained hovering over her. His wife smiled broadly at him and David found himself smiling just as broadly back. He hadn't had the chance to bask in the 'new baby' feeling before because of all the worry he was carrying around about Emma and the town. Now that worry had dissipated he felt deliriously happy.

"We have a son" he stated.

"We do" Snow giggled in response and reached up and cupped his face. He allowed her to guide him down and kiss her softly on the lips.

"What are we going to call him?" Snow asked when they parted again.

David hadn't really given it much thought. After what happened with Emma the first time he was reluctant to think of baby names or pick out godparents until after they had the baby safely in their arms. They hadn't ever discussed it between them so David presumed that Snow had been plagued by the same thoughts.

"I have no idea!" he admitted. He gazed down at her and saw the smile on her face grow even wider as she looked at him.

"Me neither" she admitted before bursting into a fit of giggles which promptly woke their new born up.

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**Storybrooke – Hook's POV**

When Emma had transported herself off to save her woman Hook had been left stood at the farmhouse with Robin Hood and Ruby. The two of them had explained about the flying monkey attack during the night and that they were patrolling the woods to find out where they were hiding.

He had no idea how the death of Zelena would affect the creatures. There was a chance their spell would be broken and they would all be turning back into their human forms. If that was the case there was going to be many confused and terrified people roaming the woods. The other possibility was that the spell would still remain and one of the magical practitioners of Storybrooke would have to find a way to break it. If that was the case then there would be a lot of confused and terrified flying monkeys soaring around the woods. Either way it would be something to keep his mind focussed away from Emma and the fact he was clearly never going to woo her. It wasn't like he was about to try and compete with Regina for her or he'd end up spit roasted.

So Hook had ended up joining the werewolf and the outlaw on their mission and was now wandering along behind the two of them. They had gotten quite deep into the woodland, far deeper than Hook would chose to go alone but his two companions were obviously familiar with terrain. After about thirty minutes Robin dropped back slightly so that he was walking next to Hook.

"So you were Emma's companion in the Inn that night?" Robin asked as they fell into step together.

Hook was surprised to hear that this outlaw had remembered Emma. Obviously he hadn't been given a sleeping curse like the others but it had been a random conversation in an Inn with a woman he never saw again until several years later in a completely different context.

"You recognised her?" Hook replied cautiously.

Even despite Ruby's explanation about the outlaw not being in procession of his own heart Hook wasn't yet sure if he trusted him. It was hard to shake the fact that he had given Zelena the Queens heart even though Hook knew all about the power of an enchanted heart.

"It took me a while to place her but finally I did" Robin explained. "Even then I wasn't completely sure until the Prince told me she had gone through the portal after the Witch."

Hook regarded the man curiously as he spoke. If Robin Hood had told Zelena of Emma's presence in the past surely she would have taken more care to not make it so. Or perhaps he and Emma were just fated to go through that portal after her no matter what precautions the Witch had tried to take.

"You didn't tell Zelena?" the Pirate quizzed.

"She didn't ask" Hood responded, chuckling lightly before he continued. "She may have been able to control my actions but she couldn't read my mind."

Hook smiled lightly in response. He didn't understand the theory behind travel or quite how it all worked. Somehow speaking to Robin had done nothing to change the timeline even though he recognised Emma so did that mean that somehow time was like a loop and there had in fact never been a time when he hadn't spoke to Emma in the Inn so therefore nothing was different? Or had they just been fortunate that Robin had been able to keep his mouth shut and therefore not affect anything?

Just as Hook was mulling over the complexities of time travel Ruby slammed to a halt in front of them, her werewolf senses obviously kicking in.

"Stop" she commanded firmly. Hook complied instantly but Robin crept silently forward so he was alongside the waitress.

Hook could hear the faint sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves but he had no idea what it meant. Just in case it was something bad he rested his hand on the hilt of the cumbersome sword that came with the armour he still adorned. He and Emma had both managed to lose their precious sword and coat in the past despite their best efforts.

"Is that?" Robin whispered just loud enough for Hook to hear. The Pirate still wasn't sure whether or not to expect a flying monkey attack or not and he was becoming impatient. He was about to snap at the pair of them but then Ruby spoke up again.

"People" she stated.

Just as the word left her mouth then a large people appeared a short distance away over the horizon in the woods. There had to be around thirty to forty people heading towards them looking as dazed as one would expect them to after spending time as winged beasts.

"Lots of people" Robin commented dryly as the group came fully into view.

There was there a lot of very confused people of both genders and all ages but they had one thing very much in common.

"Lots of naked people" Hook mumbled, not entirely sure where to look. "Well this is awkward."

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	20. Chapter 20

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 20**

**Storybrooke – Emma POV**

The blond quickly removed her armour and stepped into the shower, enjoying the feeling of the hot water pounding down on her head and body. It was easing her tired and aching muscles. The shower gave her a few moments of serene and peaceful bliss. It was a chance for her to reflect on the past two days without other people's prying questions or Hook's jealous humour. Not that he had been too bad in the end. If anything they had made the first steps towards becoming actual friends rather than her just being someone he was perusing as a love interest.

Her time in the Enchanted Forest had been an eye opener about her families past. Not only had she briefly saw and heard a young Snow White in full prim Princess action but she had met and spoken to a young Regina. Good god she had even kissed a young Regina! It had been fascinating to meet the version of the brunette that was still young and relatively naive...a lost and lonely young woman who didn't feel at home in her surroundings. She could really sympathise with that.

Emma's journey through the Enchanted Forest of the past had been a voyage of self discovery more than anything else though. She had finally pin pointed her confusion feelings towards her son's other mother. It had been a shock when she had first put the pieces of the jigsaw together but the more she thought about it all the more it made sense. She had always been drawn to Regina in some way...whether it was to fight her, fight with her or protect her. There had always been strong emotion and an underlying physical attraction involved. The brunette, despite all their past issues, represented something that Emma had been desperately seeking. Regina represented family and a steady home for Emma and for Henry.

The only problem was that Emma may feel that way but she had no idea if Regina would return those feelings. The younger Regina had certainly found her attractive and after the looks adult Regina had thrown her over the past couple of years Emma was confident that attraction was still present between them. However, finding someone physically appealing and wanting to date them were two different things. Snow and Regina may have buried the hatchet but there was a lot of negative history between the two families. Would Regina ever be able to look at Emma as anything other than the daughter of Snow White and the woman who broke her curse?

Opening her eyes for the first time she had climbed under the stream of water Emma reached out for the bottle of vanilla and cinnamon shower gel. As her hand grasped the bottle Emma froze and looked down at the extended arm. On the inside of her arm, just above the wrist and where it had been itching ever since she had fought the Wicked Witch, there was a very familiar mark. It wasn't familiar because it had always been there...it was familiar because she had seen it before on someone else.

"Shit!" Emma exclaimed as she continued to stare at her arm.

Looking back at her was a perfectly formed and intricate tattoo of a rearing lion inside a black crest. Her mind raced back to her conversation with Robin in the Inn. He had said that the Royal guards were made up of the bravest and most noble born knights in the Kingdom and that to earn the right to be one of these Knights a person must do something brave, selfless and honourable. Emma was certainly noble born and technically her role as the Saviour made her some kind of knight. Apparently saving Snow White's life or preventing Zelena altering the past had fitted the other requirements.

If Emma bore the tattoo then she could very well be Regina's true love or soul mate...or whatever it was the pixie dust had shown her. Emma was kind of thrilled by that idea but at the same time she wasn't. She didn't want Regina to give them a chance because she felt locked into that destiny by fate. Emma wanted the brunette to actually want her. There was no way she was letting Regina see the tattoo.

She wanted to hide in the shower but eventually she had to succumb to the world around her. The blond quickly washed her body with shower gel and then washed her hair. Once she was completely rinsed off she stopped the stream of water and stepped out into the bathroom. She reached for one of the white fluffy towels and dried her body quickly, taking the worst of the water from her hair in the process.

The blond had brought a clean outfit into the bathroom with her and luckily the black blouse she had borrowed from her mother had long sleeves. Emma quickly dressed herself and cleaned her teeth. After finishing her teeth she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a damp mess and fell about her face. In Neverland she had witnessed Regina dry her own hair by magic and wondered if she could do the same. It was probably not the best idea in the world especially as she had used a lot of magic over the last couple of days but she couldn't resist attempting it regardless.

Closing her eyes Emma pictured herself with straightened dry hair and within seconds she felt the wet mop on her head lighten and dry out. She opened her eyes again and looked into the mirror, remarkable pleased by the results. She really was getting the hang of this magic thing.

After she was all dressed and dry she headed out of the bathroom and back into the living space of her parents apartment. Belle had now arrived and was sat at Regina's side by the bed. Emma's son and Mr Gold were sat on two of the chairs by Regina's bed, angled towards each other playing cards. By the serious looks of concentration on their faces an outsider would presume they were playing poker but they in fact appeared to be playing snap.

"Careful he's vicious at card games" Emma warned the older man. Both Rumpel and Henry glanced up from their card game and smiled at the same time.

"I've noticed" he replied, raising his rather reddened hand so she could see it. "I think he's inherited my competitive streak because he certainly didn't get that from your parents."

Henry wriggled his eyebrows and Emma chuckled at his antics. On cue Henry placed down a five of hearts on top of a five of spades and the two of them yelled snap as they slammed their hands down. Henry was the quicker of the two of them and his hand slammed down on the side table with a resounding thud. His smug look was matched by a look of frustration on Mr Gold's. Regina was obviously still well away if she was sleeping through that kind of racket.

"How is she?" Emma asked, running her gaze over the brunette. She certainly looked a little better as she was no longer sweating and translucently white.

"I've just given her the first dose of potion and her breathing and pulse rate seems to be less shallow now" Belle reassured her. "It should be fine to move her."

Emma was relieved to hear that there was some sign of improvement but she wouldn't be happy until Regina actually woke up. Until then she would have an underlying fear that she had failed the brunette and had been too late. It took a few seconds for her to catch onto the end of Belle's answer.

"Move her?" she enquired.

Henry placed down his cards and turned his attention solely to her. He reached out to her and Emma stepped towards him and took the offered hand.

"Mary Margaret, David and the baby will be back soon and I think it would be better if we took mom back to her home and cared for her there" he explained.

The blond was slightly ashamed that she hadn't thought of her parents but then she had been rather distracted with Regina and her own new body art. It was cramped in the apartment at the best of times and with a new baby and Regina there it would be unworkable. Plus Regina wouldn't be able to rest and recuperate with a screaming baby keeping her awake at all hours. She and Henry really needed to start looking for an apartment of their own. It was something to ask Regina about when she was feeling better as she was the Mayor. If anyone would be able to find them somewhere to live at the drop of a hat then it would be her.

"Yeah I think you're right" she agreed.

Henry smiled widely and released her hand. Apparently now she had agreed to his plan it meant they were leaving right away as he began to wander around the apartment collecting his things. She turned to follow him into the living space.

"Emma there is something else" Belle called after her. Emma stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the younger woman again. "Ruby just called to say that the flying monkeys are reverting back to people. She also said not to worry because she and Hook are going to deal with it so you just focus on Regina for now."

"Okay" Emma sighed.

She felt guilty for leaving the two of them in the lurch and dealing with so much shit especially as Hook must be as exhausted as she was. Emma really did need to focus on helping Regina recover now. Not only because she wanted to but because their son needed her too. She would disappoint him if she palmed the responsibility on someone else and he had suffered enough disappointments in his short life. It was time for her and his other mom to create some happier memories.

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**Storybrooke – Hook POV**

The dilemma Hook, Robin and Ruby had faced was how do you move forty freezing cold naked people four miles into town as quickly as possible without too many people seeing. Ruby had quickly come up with a solution where to temporarily house them as they had apparently used the town hall as a base when the original curse was broken.

She had been able to quickly ring the hospital and organise for a couple of nurses and some blankets to be taken to the town hall and Granny had agreed to organise the dwarves and start a clothes collection bank. Some of the people had been Storybrooke residents before and therefore would have homes to go to after being checked out but others like Aurora and Philip were new to this land and had nowhere. That was especially awkward considering Aurora was very pregnant. Apparently she had been very pregnant a nearly a year ago before being turned into a flying monkey and that had prevented her moving any further with her pregnancy. It was probably a good thing or she may have given birth to an actual monkey and not a cursed human baby.

That still left them short of a transport solution until Robin of all people had come up with an idea. He had suggested using the 'big carriage' that he had seen transporting children to their school as it carried many people. That big carriage was of course a bus, something Hook had learnt about from his first small stint hunting out Rumpelstiltskin in New York. The school bus was only a small bus but it would only take two journey's to get everyone back into town.

Ruby had managed to get in touch with the bus driver via the man who fixes machines...a mechanic the waitress had called him. Once the bus had arrived Ruby had taken the first half of the passengers, those that looked the most uncomfortable, and left Hook and Robin waiting with the others. Luckily Ruby had taken all the women with her but it had still been rather uncomfortable and embarrassing being left stood around with twenty freezing cold naked men.

He and Robin had managed an awkward conversation with a very naked little John about what he remembered. It had turned out that he, like the others, remembered nothing after being turned into a flying ape until they woke up buck naked in the woods a couple of hours before. After a while little John's nakedness had become so awkward that Robin had given him his neck tie to cover his dignity with.

Finally the bus had returned and this time it had blankets from the town hall on it. So at least on the bus ride back everyone had been covered up. Hook wasn't sure he could have coped with being cooped up in such a small place with so much exposed male skin. As they pulled into the town hall Ruby rushed out to greet them. Several family members were already gathered outside too and rushed to greet their loved ones. Once everyone had piled out of the bus Ruby called out to silence them so she could speak.

"If you go inside there is soup and hot drinks. There is a pile of donated clothing that is growing all the time so just route through and find yourself something that fits. One of the Dwarfs and a nurse will be around to take you name and details and to check on you to make sure you are okay. If you have a home here once that process is complete you can return to it. If not we are setting up cots in the hall for tonight and we will try and relocate you as quickly as possible."

Everyone began to trudge into the hall and Hook and Robin lingered outside to talk to Ruby. He was impressed at the way the young woman handled herself and dealt with the crisis in the Charming's absence. She had quite a bit of natural presence. In fact she was quite hot full stop and he wondered how he hadn't noticed before. He had obviously been far too busy pining over Emma. There could be hundreds of attractive women running around Storybrooke who would be far more interested in his manly charms than Regina's alluring good looks.

"This all got sorted quickly love" Hook complimented the waitress.

"We're a small community" she replied; "and we are used to crisis."

Hook chuckled at her words. That they were. Ever since he'd arrived in Storybrooke with Cora there had been one crisis followed by another. Life was never dull around here especially if you were friends with the Charming's. They attracted trouble like honey attracts bees.

"It does mean we have had to pull everyone away from the main street clean up except your Merry Men" Ruby turned her attention towards the outlaw.

By her tone Hook could tell that she felt guilty for leaving them with such a mammoth task but Robin seemed unconcerned. He suspected the outlaw felt like they were somehow doing penance for his actions even though Zelena had been controlling him.

"I'll go back and help them now" Robin offered. "Where is Roland?"

"He's still with Granny" Ruby assured him. "He's been helping her in the kitchen making soup for everyone...apparently he's good at peeling vegetables."

Hook couldn't quite imagine the overly cute little creature that was Robin Hood's son being a dab hand in the kitchen. He probably had to learn all sorts of skills living in the forest though so maybe potato peeling was one of them.

Robin nodded politely to them both and headed off down the road towards the main street. Hook was almost tempted to follow him to witness the destruction the flying monkey's had caused but he really didn't have the energy to help with the clear up. Instead he moved to step around Ruby and head towards the hall but her arm reached out and blocked his passage.

"You need to get yourself some soup and take a break Pirate" she ordered him. "You look dead on your feet."

He felt dead on his feet in all honesty and he was grateful for her concern. Due to Emma's desire to escort Regina back to her castle he had failed to get any sleep last night after only managing a couple of hours the night before.

"Aye" he agreed, "I could do with that."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Storybrooke – Henry POV**

Henry and Belle pulled on the road outside 108 Mifflin Street in Mr Gold's black Cadillac. Once she cut the engine Henry jumped out and began to remove his and Emma's cases from the back seat. Belle came around the side of the car to help him and between the two of them they carried them to the front door. Regina's bag had been left at Granny's on the night of the party so they had picked that up too whilst getting his and Emma's things. Henry fished his adopted mother's keys out of her bag and opened the door so they could but the bags inside the foyer.

Mr Gold had suggested he and Belle go collect everything from Granny's, including some food, and that Emma and Mr Gold would use magic to transport Regina quickly and with minimal fuss once Henry and Belle were at the house.

So whilst Belle went back to the car to get the meals Granny had sent for them Henry fished his phone out of his coat pocket and called his mom. It took several rings before she picked up.

"Hey mom we are here" he informed her as soon as she answered the phone.

"Okay" she replied before cutting the phone off. Belle arrived back at his side with the bag of food as the call ended.

Henry looked out down the driveway and within seconds there was a mixture of blue and red smoke which vanished to leave Mr Gold and Emma, who was holding his other mother in her arms like a hero from a movie would, standing just before the step to the porch.

His blond mother instantly started walking towards the house, grimacing under the weight of his other mom. Mr Gold followed behind with a blank expression on his face.

"I'll take her upstairs" Emma muttered as she carried the brunette past Henry and headed straight for the staircase. Belle placed the bag of food down and peeled away from him, following Emma up the stairs; carefully walking behind the blond in-case the weight of his unconscious mother toppled her backwards.

"Your mother is pretty tired you know Henry" Mr Gold told him once Belle and Emma were out of sight and earshot. "You may want to offer to sit with Regina for a bit whilst Emma sleeps."

Henry nodded in agreement. He could see that his blond mom was tired even though she would never admit up to it. It was nice of Mr Gold to look out for her like that. Henry felt like he and the older man were starting to bond.

"Hey granddad?" Henry caught the man's attention again. Mr Gold smiled at him warmly and seemed to really like being referred to as such. "I liked spending time with you...could I come and hang out with you for a bit tomorrow?"

"Of course Henry" Mr Gold agreed. "I'd like that too."

Henry could see how sincere the older man was and it made him smile. When he had been walking in the park with Regina...when he had thought she was the Mayor and had no memory of her...she had told him that one day he would have more family then he would know what to do with. Now he had his memories back he realised how right she was. He hadn't even touched on his relationship with this grandfather because it had been such a new thing. He had found out about it when he met his dad for the first time and getting to know him had been his first priority. It seemed as good a time as any to discover more about Mr Gold especially after he had confided in him about his possible link to Henry's adoptive mom.

Belle appeared from upstairs during Henry's train of thought but Emma remained upstairs for now. Both he and Mr Gold looked to the approaching woman and Henry smiled at the look of sheer joy on his granddad's face when he saw his girlfriend.

"Everything okay?" the older man asked her.

"Emma managed to change her into bedclothes with magic without accidently turning her into a toad so yes she's fine" Belle quipped as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Henry was quite impressed with how much magic his mom had mastered in a short space of time. She really was special.

"Right well we'll be off then Henry" Gold informed him before giving him some instructions. "Keep us informed about Regina and if you need us for anything just call okay?"

"Okay" Henry agreed before giving the older man a loose hug. Mr Gold seemed surprised by the affection but hugged him back. After Henry released him both he and Belle started to walk out the front door but not before Belle threw a quick happy wink in Henry's direction. Apparently she was pleased he and Rumpelstiltskin were getting along too. Perhaps Henry could give his granddad a shove in the right direction and get him to officially make Belle is step-grandmother. She had said she was hopeful of it happening after all.

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	21. Chapter 21

**Running Out Of Time**

**Chapter 21**

**Storybrooke – Emma POV**

Henry had been a little angel in the early afternoon and sat with Regina for a couple of hours whilst Emma went next door and slept in the spare room. She hadn't even got under the covers and she had been out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillows. Even Regina's spare bed and bed sheets were luxurious and Emma had felt like she was lying in a puddle of silk. So when the blonde's phone alarm went off just two hours later it was a monumental struggle to get up.

Emma rolled out of the bed still very groggy from her short but deep sleep and landed unceremoniously in a heap on the floor. She stood up and stretched, groaning as several muscles across her shoulders and back crunched and clicked. She headed straight into Regina's room were Henry sat in the dressing table chair which he had pulled to the side of the bed. He was facing away from the door playing on his Sony PSP and didn't notice her enter until she came to stand next to him.

"Oh hey mom" he greeted when he saw her. "You sure you don't want to sleep a little longer?"

"No I'm all good" Emma assured him even though she could have done with another ten hours worth of rest. She wanted to be there when Regina woke up. She had been the last person who the brunette had seen before falling into unconsciousness and as selfish as it may be she wanted to be the first person who Regina saw when she awoke.

"Well she hasn't woken up at all" Henry stated as though he had somehow read her mind. "She got a little hot and feverish before so I opened the window. I spoke to granddad on the phone and he said that her temperature would go up and down a bit as her body healed."

When her son had first used the word granddad she had presumed he meant David even though Henry usually called him 'gramps' but it was quickly apparent that he was referring to Rumpelstiltskin. The two of them had gotten closer whilst she was away chasing Zelena around the past and Emma supposed that it was a good thing. They were the closest link each other had to Neal and Rumpel had certainly proven that he cared for Henry by risking his life for him in Neverland.

"Do you know how to work you mom's fancy coffee machine because I really haven't got a clue?" she asked him, changing the topic. She's taken one look at the machine when she had gone downstairs to get a glass of water before going to bed and known she'd probably break it if she tried to use it.

"Yeah I can work it" Henry replied, laughing lightly at her lack of technical knowhow. "I'll make you an Americano ma 'cos you look like you need it."

He vacated the seat and started to walk past her so she gave him a gentle swat across the back of his head for being so cheeky.

"Gee thanks kid" she chuckled as he tried to duck her hand but failed.

Her son headed out the room and closed the door behind him leaving her alone with the unconscious Regina. The light in the bedroom was turned off and only the window and the bedside lamp provided any illumination. The orange light from the lamp gave Regina's skin a strange glow and it was obvious she was still quite pale if the light was reflecting of her skin in such a way.

Emma ignored the chair for now and instead perched on the side of the bed so she was sat close to Regina's form. Some of the brunette's hair had been blown across her face from the light breeze creeping in through the open window. Emma reached out and smoothed the hair back behind Regina's ear. The brunette's skin was warm to the touch but it was smooth and dry so at least she wasn't currently feverish just running a slight temperature.

The blonde's fingers involuntarily trailed from Regina's brow down her cheek and jaw bone. She was taking advantage of the situation really by allowing herself to admire the brunette like this but it was hard to stop...not when she looked so peaceful and felt so smooth. Even after being close to death Regina's skin was still silky and perfect and the only blemish was the scar above her lip. Emma wondered what story lay behind the mark as she ran the tip of her forefinger over it.

"Hey" she mumbled to the brunette. She's seen something on a documentary once that said that unconscious people could often hear some of what was occurring around them. Emma hoped that maybe Regina could hear her now and take some comfort from the fact she was cared for.

"You need to wake up pretty soon Regina because you're kinda scaring me" Emma continued, her fingers still tracing the brunette's features.

There was so much emotion swelling up inside her as she gazed down at Regina. There were so many things she wanted to tell her but she didn't know if she would be brave enough to ever say them; not whilst Regina was awake anyway.

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to get your heart back to you" Emma told the unconscious woman. "I thought...well I didn't know you were still alive. I was sure whatever magic that Zelena used to create the portal had killed you. I thought you were dead and gone and that I'd failed you and I'd failed Henry. I thought I'd lost you and that hurt like hell. Then your twisted sister showed me your heart and I realised it was still beating...that there was hope..."

Tears stung her eyes and silently slipped down her cheeks as Emma spoke. In the Enchanted Forest she had a mission to complete...something to chase and distract her. Here she felt the meaning behind those words full force.

"I'm so glad that you're going to be okay" the blond finished, her voice cracking. "More so than I'll probably ever be able to explain to you Regina."

Emma ran her hands across her cheeks to remove the tears before leaning down and pressing her lips to Regina's forehead. She lingered there only briefly before sitting upright again and taking hold of the brunette's hand.

Just as she did there was the unmistakable sound of Henry dragging his feet along the hallway. The bedroom door opened and he squeezed inside. He saw her sat on the edge of the bed and gave her a concerned look.

"Hey here is your coffee" he said, placing the mug down on the coaster on the bedside table. "Are you okay?"

Emma could tell by the look on his face that the evidence of her tears was still present even in the dim light of the bedroom.

"Mhmmmm" she responded, not trusting her voice to remain steady if he spoke.

Her son regarded her for a second before nodding, obviously deciding not to press her any further. Instead he took a step closer to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek offering her comfort.

"Mom's gonna be okay" he said softly as he stepped away again. "You promised that you would save her and you did."

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**Storybrooke – Snow POV**

On leaving the hospital Mary Margaret had spoken to Henry on the phone as Emma's cell appeared to be switched off. She had slept all day after giving birth but she still felt very tired. However she was not so exhausted that she couldn't visit her daughter and grandson on the way home from the hospital.

Henry had asked them to bring food as he doubted Emma would be up for cooking anything especially not in Regina's kitchen. Mary Margaret had stayed in the truck with her new baby whilst her husband ran into Granny's to pick up their take out order of food. She wanted to show the likes of Granny and Ruby her son but she wanted Emma and Henry to meet him first. Everyone else could coo over him tomorrow.

David pulled the truck into the driveway alongside Regina's Mercedes and cut the engine. Mary Margaret glanced through the truck window at the imposing large house. It was weird to be visiting Emma here but she agreed with Henry's reasons for taking Regina home. It would have been a tight squeeze trying to fit them all in the apartment and probably detrimental to Regina's health. It was also a good sign that Emma was no longer thinking about running back to New York but was instead committed to staying now that Henry had his memories back of his adoptive mother and the rest of his family.

"Come on" David encouraged as he reached across and lifted their currently unnamed baby son and his car seat from the truck.

She climbed out of the passenger side of the pick-up truck and followed her beaming husband to the front door of 108 Mifflin Street with the bag of food in hand. For all David's fears before their son's birth he was now very much the proud father and looked the part with their son cradled in his arms. Snow raised her hand to ring the bell but before she got the chance the front door open to reveal their grandson.

"I heard you pull in" he explained as he opened the door wider to let them in.

Snow and David entered to foyer and he took their coats and hung them up on the coat stand. The house was oddly silent apart from the faint murmur of a TV somewhere in the distance. Emma was nowhere to be seen and Snow wondered why she hadn't come rushing to the door too.

"Ma is upstairs watching over mom" Henry explained as if he had read her mind. "She hasn't woken up at all yet but she looks a lot better. I don't know if ma will come down for food though...she doesn't want to leave her alone."

Her husband shot her a knowing look and she headed up the stairs to shoo her daughter down for food. She wasn't entirely sure which one was Regina's room so she tried the first one on the right as she reached at the top of the landing. It was first time lucky as the door creaked open to reveal Emma sat in a chair next to the bed.

Her daughter had the chair angled so she was running parallel to the bed and facing Regina's head. She had Regina' limp hand clasped in her own and t looked like she was dosing or resting her eyes. Mary Margaret took a couple of quite step so she was next to the chair. She had a better view of the unconscious brunette from there and could see that Henry was indeed correct. Regina looked far better and a far more natural colour than the last time Mary Margaret had seen her.

Emma stirred slightly so Mary Margaret reached out and nudged the blonde's shoulder slightly. Her eyes shot open straight away and for the briefest of seconds she looked alert and ready for action before she realised it was her mother and calmed.

"Hey" Snow greeted softly.

Emma released Regina's hand and stood up, enveloping Mary Margaret in a hug. It was really pleasing for Mary Margaret because aside for the occasional situation where it looked like they were all going to die or that they would be parted forever Emma hadn't really ever hugged her. She had accepted that it would take her daughter some time to acclimatise to having parents having spent 28 years believing they had abandoned her because they didn't love her. Yet even though she had accepted that the transition would be hard it still hurt when the blond pushed her away. So this impromptu hug was a very welcome change.

"Hey" Emma finally greeted back as she released her mother and stepped back.

"Your new little brother is downstairs waiting to meet you" Mary Margaret informed her, "and we bought you your evening meal."

Usually at the mention of food Emma would have already disappeared down the stairs but instead she stood stiffly in place gazing down at the unconscious figure on the bed.

"Oh...you should eat with Henry I'll just microwave mine later..." Emma mumbled.

Her grandson had been right; Emma was reluctant to leave his other mom. Although it had originally terrified her in Neverland Mary Margaret was pleased that the two of them had not only been getting along but actually bonding. They worked well together when the need arose and as they were both Henry's parents then this new friendship was positive for him and his happiness. Yet however wonderful Snow found this development she was still keen for Emma to take a break and eat so she tried a different tact.

"Actually I ate something at the hospital so I'm okay for now" she informed her daughter. "So how about you go eat and I'll sit with Regina for a bit?"

It was true; she had indeed had a snack before they left the hospital to help regain some strength so she wasn't desperately hungry yet. She could wait half an hour or so to give Emma a break. However she could tell by the look in Emma's eyes that she was still reluctant to go downstairs. Mary Margaret wracked her brains trying to understand her daughter's dilemma. If it wasn't just about leaving Regina alone then what could it be? After a few blank moments an idea struck her.

"I'll shout you if she starts to wake up" she offered.

This did the trick and Emma nodded before trudging slightly reluctantly out of the door. Mary Margaret reorganised the chair so she was sat at a right angle to the bed and sat down. When Regina had been under the sleeping curse she had felt comfortable talking and reading to her because from her own experiences Mary Margaret was sure the brunette would hear none of it. Now Regina was merely unconscious or asleep ten there was a good chance she may actually hear and remember some of what was being said. Yet it was a good chance to clear her chest of all those memories that plagued her without Regina trying to fireball her for trying to have such a deep conversation.

"Hey Regina" she began. "There is something I've wanted to tell you for a long time...ever since I woke up from the sleeping curse...which is ironic because you've just woken up from a sleeping curse...although that is entirely beside the point. You told me about what happened to Daniel before I ate that cursed apple and I was horrified. I've carried that feeling with me for a long time. I was only a child when those terrible events took place and I was so naive. You see the irony is that I didn't tell your mother because I selfishly wanted her to stop you so you would still be my new mother. In fact I told her because I thought she was a good person and that even though I wanted you to be my mother because I adored you...well I wanted you to be happy and with the person you loved. I was trying to be unselfish and it backfired...terribly. The stupid thing is that I was so naive that at the time I truly believed you had chosen to be Queen over marrying Daniel...I thought you had chosen me. This isn't an excuse. I know that I broke my promise and you suffered appallingly from it. I was old enough to know better. I just want you to know that I know why you were so angry with me and that I am so happy that we have finally started to move on from that. Somewhere deep inside I am still that little girl who looked up to like a hero when you rode to my rescue. It's been nice to see that you are still that person too. Perhaps one day I'll actually say this to you whilst you are awake...although that would probably be weird and awkward."

Mary Margaret decided it would probably be best to leave her monologue there in case Regina could actually hear her. She was starting to witter on and the brunette would not appreciate that. Instead she resorted to admiring the decor in Regina's bedroom and before long she was wittering on uncontrollably about that instead.

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**Storybrooke – Emma POV**

Emma headed down the stairs and into Regina's kitchen were Charming was dishing out the food for them. Henry was currently sat at the breakfast bar holding the new arrival. It was quite weird that her son was holding his new born baby uncle but then what about their story and life was normal.

"Have you chosen a name yet?" she asked as she entered the room.

Her father stopped what he was doing and strode across the room. When he reached her he enveloped her in a bear hug.

"No" he admitted as she hugged him back. "We are having a party the day after tomorrow at Granny's so we'll announce it then."

Emma pulled back and chuckled at the nervous look on her father's face. She had noticed that they hadn't been looking at baby name books or anything you'd normally expect from parents to be. With everything going on with Zelena she had supposed they were nervous of naming their child in case it all went wrong again. She just hoped they didn't want to call the baby Leopold because after seeing how sad marrying him had made Regina she didn't want the brunette to have the constant reminder. Emma was pretty sure that her father would be keen on the name so they were safe.

"Will you have thought of one by then?" she quipped.

As she spoke Henry handed over her baby brother for her to hold for the first time. It was a strange sensation especially as she had conflicting memories of a new born Henry. On one hand she remembered holding her son when he was this size for the first time but on the other she knew those memories were in fact false. This though...this was very real.

"Yeah we do have a couple of ideas" Charming assured her as she cooed at the baby. "Anyway it's a tradition in the Enchanted Forest to have a naming ceremony."

An image of Simba being held over the rock face by his parents in the Lion King flashed through her mind and she chuckled to herself. Luckily there were no high spaces to wave him from in Granny's so she would be spared something quite so pompous.

Emma's father and son picked up the three plates of Granny's burger and chips and the baby's car seat and Henry led them through to the dining room. Her little brother was barely awake and his eyes kept shutting like he wanted to dose off so she put him back into the car seat and placed him on the spare chair between her and David who sat at the head of the table. Henry sat across from his little uncle.

"So you guys have your memories back from the past year now right?" Emma asked when all four of them were settled in their seats. "Do you know why Zelena wanted you all back in Storybrooke?"

David had just sunk his teeth into his cheeseburger and paused mid bite. There was a moment of confusing silence before he sunk his teeth further into the burger and chewed on the mouthful he had just taken. All the while Emma and Henry both just sat and watched him, their food intact.

"Yes well about that" David mumbled after he swallowed the food. "It turns out Zelena wasn't the person who cast the curse."

"Then who did?" Henry asked instantly.

Her son sounded as confused as she felt. If Zelena didn't cast it then who did? It couldn't be Rumpel as Neal was already inside of him and Belle was still alive. Emma wasn't aware of anything else the Dark One loved.

"Well your mother and I discovered what Zelena's plans were by speaking to Gilinda the Good Witch and she told us that only the strongest purveyor of white magic could stop the Wicked Witch" David half explained.

As he spoke he looked pointedly at Emma and it was obvious he was talking about her and the whole Saviour thing.

"Me?" she asked even though she was sure it was a rhetorical question.

"Yes so Regina recreated the curse to bring us back to Storybrooke" her father continued. "Zelena tried to intercede. It was too late to stop it but she added a memory potion to prevent us remembering what had happened in the past year and how to stop her."

It was almost ironic that Regina had been the one to cast the curse again after denying vehemently that she had. It had obviously been done to bring them all back to this world and stop the Witch though and was not for Regina's own gain. That meant that the brunette had somehow paid the price for the curse yet again but Emma had no idea how. Henry was in Storybrooke and Regina didn't love anyone else.

"What price did Regina pay?" she decided to directly ask her father. "Casting the curse has a price so who did she have to sacrifice?"

David sighed deeply and gazed at his newborn child. Emma was certain that whatever he was going to tell them she was not going to enjoy hearing. There was another silent pause in the conversation until David finally snapped his eyes from the baby and back to hers.

"I said Regina created the curse I didn't say she cast it" he eventually replied.

"Then who did?" Emma asked. She didn't understand why he was skirting around the answer but it was starting irritate her. David took another deep sigh again and pushed his food around his plate.

"Your mother" he finally admitted.

Emma just stared at her father, too stunned to formulate a reply quite yet. If Mary Margaret cast the curse then surely David shouldn't be here. What could she possibly love more than him? Had there been a different price this time around?

"Then what was her price?" she pressed once the initial shock wore off.

"Me" her father admitted. "She had to remove my heart and crush it into the potion."

Emma stared at him blankly again. She knew that Regina had done the same to her father, Henry senior, to enact the original curse and Emma knew for a fact that he had died because his grave lay in Regina's crypt.

"I don't understand..." Henry spoke up before Emma had the chance. "If she crushed your heart then how are you still alive? I thought..."

"Snow and I share a heart" David cut in. "Apparently true love can do more than just break curses."

Emma found herself completely speechless at his admission. If it had been anyone other than David telling her then she'd presume they were totally making it up but she could see from the genuine look on his face that that he did indeed now share a heart with her mother.

"Wow" Henry managed to reply. Apparently he was satisfied with the explanation and he began to start stuffing his face with chips like he hadn't been fed for days even though Emma had seen him eat a Granny's club sandwich just a few hours before.

Emma picked up her own burger and bit in to it. It was nearly cold after their discussion but she barely noticed. She was too busy trying to process this new information. This all powerful true love her parents shared had always felt foreign and impossible to her. She had begun to believe in it but had not thought such a thing possible for herself. Unconsciously her hand went to her right wrist and she rubbed the itchy mark though the shirt she wore. If Tinkerbelle's pixie dust had been correct than this mark she now bore was evidence that it was indeed achievable. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

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End file.
